


Days of Heartache

by DarkenedHeart



Series: Love Internationally [6]
Category: Flashpoint (TV), Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: (Electrocution), (Some parts are VERY Out. Of. Character.), AU, Both men's teams are amazing!, Brief mentions of Marriage..., But the torture is mild..., Crossover, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions!, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hawaii Five-0/Flashpoint Crossover, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, I am NOT a Doctor!, I don't know what else to Tag., International Relationship, Kidnapping, Kissing, M/M, Major canon divergence, OOC, Physical hurt/comfort, Rescue, SPOILER TAGS!!!, SamGarrett?, Steve being cute, SuperCouple, Team is family, The Flashpoint Characters do NOT come until the END!!!, Torture with Cattle Prod, Wo Fat is evil and nobody likes him., Worried!Steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 00:47:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 29,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9854582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkenedHeart/pseuds/DarkenedHeart
Summary: Sam arrives in Hawaii for the weekend.... All does NOT go according to plan....(I am purposely making things vague in a petty attempt to keep you guessing.)***---***---***For this story, I am IGNORING Canon & just writing what I want. The H5-0 Time Line is after Steve realizes Shelbourne is his mother and he's sent her off island for her own protection...(Roughly S3xE04 "Popilikia")ALSO, the Flashpoint Characters are ONLY at the END of the story. (Sorry 'bout that.)





	1. Heartfelt Reunions

Steve paces back and forth in front of a wall of windows that show the airplanes coming and going at the airport. Danny is sitting in a nearby chair, idly leafing through the magazine on his lap as he ignores his partner's inability to stand still for more than two seconds. Normally, those waiting for arrivals would be able to stand by the baggage claim area but, due to Steve's antsy-ness, Danny was forced to drag his partner to a more open area so he could worry with plenty of room.

"He should have landed by now, right?" the brunette asks, pausing mid-turn to look at his partner. He starts pacing again as he mumbles, "I think he landed. What if he got lost or held up in customs?"

"Steve," Danny lifts his head and looks straight instead of trying to follow the other man with his eyes. "Sam is a smart guy. He managed to get all the way to Five-O headquarters without any help before; he can manage finding your jittery self in an airport."

"I'm not jittery," Steve counters. "I've just got a lot of energy. You'd have energy too, if you didn't eat all that junk food."

"Hey, going after me won't bring super soldier boyfriend any closer," the blonde points out. "Leave what I eat out of your inability to stand still, you child."

"You're calling me names and yet I'm the child?" his partner scoffs. He shakes his head, "It's taking too long. Time Zone changes should have put him here at around noon."

Danny looks over to the hallway entrance where Sam should be coming through and inwardly heaves a large sigh of relief when the man does.

"Look," he orders, getting to his feet. "Sam's here. Now go hug him so you can stop driving me up the wall already."

Steve pivots, having been on the stepping away part of his pacing, and jogs over to Sam to wrap his arms around him.

"This is a better greeting than last time," his boyfriend jokes, dropping his bag so he can use both arms to hug the other man back. "How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long," Steve says, to which Danny snorts loudly. It doesn't deter the brunette, "How was your flight? Did they have a movie on or something?"

"I managed to sleep through most of it this time," Sam tells him as he's finally let go from the hug. Steve reaches down for his bag and he loops their arms together when he straightens. "I've only got the weekend, but it's the entire weekend and I'm all yours."

"Welcome back to Hawaii, Sam," Danny greets, shaking the other blonde's hand. "Neanderthal here has been trying to wear a hole in the carpet for the past hour."

"Sorry, Danny," Sam says as the trio start to walk out of the airport. "Our flight was delayed at one of the stops because a woman went into labor. I almost missed it waiting for the husband to show up."

"Wait a minute," the detective waves a hand. "Let me try to get this straight, you can deliver babies too?"

"Well, not officially, I mean I don't have any training. The paramedics got there pretty fast too. I was mostly in charge of holding the woman's hand while coaching her to breathe and stay calm," Sam explains, sounding as if the event were a normal occurrence.

"Unbelievable," Danny sighs touching his forehead for a second before dropping the hand to his side. "Sam, it's as if you and Steve attract trouble to yourselves. You're- You are human magnets for trouble, you both know that, right?"

"Well, it's trouble that brought us together," Steve shrugs. "Can't be all bad then."

 

Outside of the airport, the sun breaks through the clouds to warm the trio as they walk towards Steve's truck.

"How's Chin doing?" Sam asks, grabbing his bag from his boyfriend to toss into the back of the vehicle.

"As well as a man can when he loses a loved one," Steve answers soberly. He pauses, one hand on the door handle to open it for the blonde as he gets stuck staring at Sam.

"Hey," the blonde says softly, stepping forward to take his boyfriend's hand. "I'm right here for you, Steve. Whatever you need."

Steve smiles as he gives Sam's hand a quick squeeze.

"Not to interrupt this touching moment," Danny says awkwardly. "But I need to be dropped off at my place so I can get my car. Not that I'm trying to avoid you, Sam, because I'm not, but I have to help Kono pick up the slack while two of our teammates take some time off."

"Right," Steve clears his throat and opens the door. "I'll take you home, Danny. Then I'll bring Sam to my place."

 

In the car, Sam reaches forward to pat the blonde detective on the shoulder. When the other man turns to him, he says, "I appreciate you coming with Steve to pick me up."

"That was for purely selfish reasons," Danny assures him. "I was afraid that super SEAL might go postal waiting for you, and was proven almost correct in such a worry as I had to drag him away from civilians during our almost two hour wait."

"Two hours?" the other blonde repeats with a frown as he looks to the brunette. "Steve, I sent you a copy of my plane ticket. You should have known when I was flying in without having to do the math of Time Zone changes. Why were you there so early?"

"The plane might have taken off early," Steve shrugs. "Or, maybe, the wind could have been in its favor, or a hundred little things. I didn't want you standing around in the airport looking for me; I wanted to be there when you got off."

"But, instead," his partner counters, "You had to look like a man on drugs in front of witnesses then play the 'drive Danny crazy' game you love so much."

"It is kind of a fun game," Sam says quietly, almost too quiet to hear.

Danny hears it anyway and hits Steve for it.

"What? What did I do?" the brunette asks.

"You're being a bad influence on your life partner, that's what," his partner snaps.

"Are you his mother or something?" Steve asks, glancing at the man. 

"Maybe his den mother when he's away from the sane people who work in his unit," Danny answers.

Sam huffs a short laugh before asking his boyfriend, "You didn't tell him what they did to you?"

"No," Steve confesses. "And I now realize what a mistake that was."

"Out with it then," Danny prods. "What did they do?"

When his partner doesn't answer, Sam decides to do it for him.

"They arrested him."

"They did what?" the detective turns as much as he can in his seat to look at the other blonde.

"My entire team took Steve into custody after he left the airport," Sam expounds. "I didn't know until Trudy, she's one of the receptionists, called me to let me know."

"Canadians are not subtle," Steve remarks with a grin.

"And McGarretts aren't forthcoming with information," his partner counters. Settling back in his seat, he remarks, "I don't blame them for it though. A dangerous American comes into my country to date one of my guys? I'd throw him in jail for a few hours."

"Ed was outvoted on that," Steve tells him.

"It's official," Danny wipes his hands together. "I'm done trying to make sense of the two of you. I wish you every abnormality in a relationship because, clearly, it's what the both of you want."

"Thank you, Danny," Sam says, patting the man on the shoulder. "That's very kind of you to say."

"Yeah, Danno," Steve adds, patting the same spot. "You're the best."

"Very touching," the detective rolls his eyes. "Now get me home already."

 

\- - - -

 

After dropping Danny at his place with a departing wave, Steve drives home. 

 

Steve gets Sam's bag from the back of the truck while the blonde gets out of the truck and waits for him by the front of the vehicle so they can walk to the front door together.

"I've got a lot to tell you, Sam," Steve confesses after they've entered his living room. He drops the suddenly too heavy bag onto the floor as he sinks into the cushions of his couch. Sam sits besides him and takes his hand, giving silent support while waiting for him to continue. 

With a strengthening breath, Steve turns his head towards his boyfriend.

"My mother's not dead, Sam," he says and his words aren't as happy as they should be. "It turns out she was a spy..." He looks to their hands. "Who faked her own death after killing a man. Wo Fat's father."

Sam keeps being a silent support as he waits for the rest he knows is coming.

"Wo Fat is a dangerous criminal who's responsible for my father's murder," Steve continues, his voice lowering as the facts are rehashed aloud. "He's killed people, manipulated them...He's everything we fight against every day." Shaking his head, Steve pushes out the next words. "And my mother let him escape...On purpose." He pauses to take in a breath, letting it out with the finale of his speech that makes him sound lost, "Now she's gone again, off the island; and I'm left with more questions than answers."

Steve falls silent and the room stills as the brunette's words hang heavily in the air.

"I know that 'I'm sorry' isn't enough," Sam says slowly. "And I know it won't solve your problems, or take the pain away," he adds, shifting sideways to look directly at his boyfriend. "But I am sorry, Steve, and I'm sure your mother had reasons for doing what she did."

"What kind of reason could she possibly give for letting a killer go?" Steve asks, stilling looking downwards.

"We won't know until you ask her," Sam replies. He moves his free hand to place it on his boyfriend's shoulder. "No matter what it is, or what might happen in the future, just know that I'm here for you. Always."

Steve turns towards him again, his eyes shining.

"Thank you, Sam," he smiles, reaching up to cup the man's cheek. "I really would fall apart without you."

Sam shifts on the couch, the brunette's hand falling away from his face as he pushes him back with the hand on his shoulder. Sam keeps moving until he's sitting completely on Steve's lap, facing him, his legs framing his lover's while their hands remain held together.

"Why don't we take a moment..." the blonde leans in, his second hand finding the other one of his lover's to put both of them on either side of the brunette's head. "And forget about everything beyond us?"

Steve grins, the pain in his heart easing as excitement begins to build.

"Let's pretend there's just you," Sam continues, planting a kiss on his lover's lips. "Just me," another kiss. "And nobody else."

Steve arches his neck up to catch the blonde's lips. Sam releases Steve's hands to trail his fingers down his arms and rest them on either side of his neck. With his hands freed, Steve drops his arms to grab hold of his lover's hips and pull him closer. The blonde groans into the kiss as he bucks against the other man slightly, further stimulating them both. Steve presses his open palms up Sam's back as he opens his mouth to deepen the kiss even further. When he reaches the blonde's shoulders, he bucks upwards, making his lover gasp and giving him the opportunity to get a better taste of him... 

 

\--- - ---

 

On Saturday, the couple sleeps in, wrapped up in each other's arms. It's just coming on ten o'clock when they manage to get out of bed to get something to eat in the kitchen.

"Do you think Chin would appreciate some Canadian cuisine? Or would it be better to allow him more time alone?" Sam asks as Steve cooks them eggs.

"I think having some company would be good for Chin," his boyfriend answers. "The entire team has been trying to be there for him as best we can, but some out-of-country support won't go amiss."

"Maybe I can make him some maple salmon over rice," Sam muses aloud. "Or maybe a meat pie, so it can store better."

"Whatever you decide on will be great," Steve assures him, plating their food. "We can go together to get the groceries after food and a shower."

Sam picks up his fork but hesitates to eat. He looks over to the brunette, "Steve...Do you know where your mother is? I know you said she left the island, but is there any way for you to contact her?"

Steve shakes his head, his focus on his food. "That would be too risky for her. Nobody's supposed to know she's alive."

"But that's not going to stop you," his boyfriend says knowingly. "You've got someone trying to track her down right now, don't you?"

Smiling, Steve turns to the blonde, "You know me too well, Sam."

"After so much time, I would hope so," the other man smiles back. "Do I know who it is? Or did you get a private investigator?"

"Do you remember Catherine Rollins?" Steve asks.

"Yeah," Sam says, thinking back. "Your self-named Navy brat friend. You called her to the island to search for your mother?"

"She's someone I can trust and she's very good at finding out information other people can't," the brunette explains. "She's also very discreet and knows how to keep a low profile."

"I'm sure Catherine will find your mother," Sam says with confidence. "Then the two of you can talk again; get everything off your chests so you can start to figure things out."

"And she can meet you," Steve adds, putting his hand on his boyfriend's knee. "That'll be the best part."

"I just hope I don't disappoint," the blonde returns half-heartedly.

"What's with the depreciating attitude?" Steve frowns, giving the other man's leg a squeeze. "You know how I feel about you, Sam. If my mother can't see how amazing you are, then that will be one more part of her I don't understand. It's not even something worth thinking about, though, because she's going to love you."

"Jules has said that I'm remarkably good at talking with women," Sam smiles with teeth, making his boyfriend frown.

"I don't like the way you said that, Sam," Steve remarks with a possessiveness to his words. He gets up to crowd his boyfriend in his chair. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

"My food's getting cold," the blonde says the statement almost like a question, his smile changing to a look of confusion.

"It can match my heart," his boyfriend returns. 

"That doesn't make any sense," Sam laughs out, his face breaking out into a smile again. He stretches up in his chair to reach the back of Steve's neck to pull him down for a kiss. As he lets the other man go again, he says softly, "You're the only one for me, Steve. No one else can take your place. Ever."

A knock at the door startles the two and breaks their focus away from each other. Steve quickly pecks Sam on the lips before heading to the front door to see who it is.

Doris McGarrett and Catherine Rollins stand on the other side. 

"Morning, Steven," Doris smiles, allowing herself in. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Steve's eyebrows rise as he steps back to allow his mother to pass him, looking over to Catherine in confusion for the surprise visit.

"She never left the island," Catherine explains. "I was going to come here and tell you myself; she insisted to come along."

"Who's this?" Doris asks loudly, stepping towards the kitchen. Steve rushes to get there before his mother, almost shielding his boyfriend from the woman since the both of them were still shirtless.

"Steven, really," his mother rolls her eyes. "If we were all swimming together, I'd see Samuel just as undressed."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. McGarrett," Sam greets, getting out of his chair to offer the woman his hand. Doris gently pushes her son out of the way to get at the offered hand; shaking it with a warm smile.

"You are much nicer looking than your photo, Samuel," Doris compliments, holding onto the hand instead of letting go and putting her second one over the two as she looks the blonde over. "How many times have you been able to come to Hawaii? I can imagine it's quite the change from the colder Canadian weather."

"Doris, how do you know so much about Sam?" Steve asks guardedly. 

"Well, dear, I wasn't really dead," his mother answers with a bit of chiding as she glances at her son. Giving Sam's hand a few pats she adds, "There is so much I want to talk to you about, Samuel. I hope you can find some time in your busy schedule with Steven to share some of it with me."

"We could talk right now, if you want," the blonde offers. "Or tonight, during dinner. Steve and I were going to go out for some groceries but it can wait."

"Oh, no," Doris shakes her head. "Don't let me put a thorn in your plans. Dinner tonight sounds great. That works out better for me anyway. I've got a few errands to run, make sure no one catches on I'm not as dead as advertised."

"Wouldn't the authorities be able to protect you?" Sam asks, sounding worried. "Who's after you, Mrs. McGarrett?"

"No, no, don't you worry about me," the woman shakes her head again. "I've been in this game longer than you have, my boy. Trust me when I tell you, there are reasons for the things I do."

"Maybe you can explain a few of those reasons tonight?" Steve suggests, arms wrapped tightly around his chest.

His mother looks over to him sadly, then lowers her eyes to her hands holding Sam's.

"Yes," she agrees. "I think a few things can be cleared up. But," she brightens as she finally lets Sam's hands go, "all of that is for later. You two need to eat those ice cold eggs and get ready for the day. I mean, honestly, it's almost noon!"

Doris McGarrett turns and heads for the door without a proper goodbye. Catherine looks to Steve.

"I'll keep an eye on her," she promises. Looking to Sam she says, "Nice to see you Sam." 

Then Catherine follows after the elder McGarrett with only a nod from the blonde for a response.

As the front door closes, Sam steps over to his boyfriend to wrap an arm around his middle.

"Are you doing okay?" he asks softly, feeling the tension in the other man's body.

"No," Steve admits, uncrossing his arms to wrap one around his boyfriend. Kissing the top of the blonde's head, he adds, "But I will be. I think."

"The most important part in negotiations with a subject is to form a relationship with them," Sam comments. "You've already got that with your mother; you only need to strengthen it so that you can come to the end result you want."

Steve chuckles, "Danny would blow a gasket if he heard us talking about family bonding like a hostage negotiation."

"He did wish us every abnormality," his boyfriend reminds him.

"He did, didn't he?" the brunette smiles, turning to the other man. "Is it abnormal enough for me to convince you to shovel that cold food in your mouth so we can shower together?"

"It could be," Sam grins. "If we make it a contest. One which you already have a head start on, I might add."

"Then I'll give you a ten second head start," Steve offers.

 

\- - -

 

Steve drives Sam to a strip of fresh food shops to get the ingredients he'll need. The two walk side-by-side, comparing things and voicing opinions as they go from stall to stall. Sam gets two different kinds of fish, some fruits, vegetables, and various other supplies, all of which he puts in the cloth bags that Steve carries.

"We'll need to stop somewhere for flour," Sam observes as they reach the end of the strip. "I can't make a pie top without it."

Steve nods, "We also need more eggs, sugar, and probably yeast."

"As well as milk," the blonde adds, starting back towards where the truck was parked.

Steve puts all the bags in one hand so he has a free arm to wrap around his boyfriend's shoulders.

"I really like this," he says happily. 

"What?" Sam asks, reaching around his boyfriend to take some of the grocery load.

"You," Steve gives him half of the bags, "Me. Going shopping together, walking together, you know," he shrugs. "Doing normal couple things."

"Stop the presses, Steven McGarrett likes normal," the blonde jokes, wrapping his arm around his boyfriend's waist to make walking more comfortable.

"Sh!" the brunette hisses. "We can't possibly let this sort of secret out. Who knows what sort of devastation it could bring?"

Sam chuckles, imagining too-extreme versions of people they knew seeing Steve's 'normal' side. He knew his boyfriend didn't ask for trouble to find him. He didn't go searching for things that could make problems or treat life lightly. He was just Steve; a wonderful man who took on the world as it was: A spinning sphere of endless hurtles.

The couple reach the truck and put the groceries on the floor in the back of the cab before getting into the front.

 

"So how's your team?" Steve asks as he starts to drive. "Has Spike stopped jumping whenever you walk into a room yet?"

"Unfortunately, yes," his boyfriend sighs. "Boss didn't like the affect it was having out in the field and, of course, he was right. I had to let Spike know that we were fine. We had dinner together, him, me and Nathalie; it was actually pretty nice. I think he might be good for her."

"What's the betting pole of when they break up?" the brunette asks with a smile.

"A month, give or take," the blonde answers, making the other man laugh. "What? You asked."

"I didn't think there actually was a betting pole!" Steve says. "Who's in on it? That's really terrible, you know that, right?"

"Relax, I was kidding," Sam assures him. "I don't talk about my personal life all that much at work. Except for you and Nathalie, I don't talk about family at all if I can help it."

"I made it to the family list?" his boyfriend beams with pride.

"Of course you did, Steve," Sam says, sounding amazed the other man would think otherwise. "I love you. In fact I..." he hesitates, then clears his throat to continue, "Would you consider being my next of kin? I just need you to sign something and you'll be the first person they call if something happens to me."

Steve pulls the car off the road and puts it in park to turn completely towards the blonde with an open look of shock.

"You want me to be your next of kin?" he repeats. "Wha- What about your mother? The General? Nathalie? They'd be closer than me if something happened to you."

"Exactly," Sam says firmly. "They'll know from my team or the General's connections. What's important to me is that you'd know if I was in need and couldn't call for you myself. I don't want to miss out on saying good-bye to you if it ever got that bad."

Steve unbuckles, gets out of the truck, runs around the front of it, and opens Sam's side, planting one foot up on the step-up as both his hands grab hold of the other man's.

"I accept," Steve says solemnly. "On one condition."

"What is that?" Sam asks, confused at his boyfriend's actions.

"You have to agree to be my next of kin as well," the brunette says firmly.

Sam smiles, "Okay, Steve, I will. It would be an honor."

Steve pushes off on the step to lean into the truck to kiss his boyfriend soundly, letting go of one hand to cradle the back of the blonde's head. It isn't until someone driving by blares their horn at them that Steve pulls back.

"You could have done that from inside the truck, you know," Sam says breathlessly.

"Where's the romance in that?" the brunette quips, leaning in for a quick peck on his boyfriend's lips before going back the way he came.

"You're going to cause a collision," Sam scolds lightly as the brunette pulls back onto the road.

"Trust me, Sam," Steve says, reaching for the blonde's hand to hold as he drives. "I've been in worse driving conditions than this; driven fast than this with more cars, and everyone survived. Plus," he pulls the hand close enough to kiss before returning it to the middle section of the vehicle. "I would never risk your life."

Sam relaxes in his chair, giving their joined hands a quick squeeze as he turns his head to look at the other man. He continues to watch his boyfriend for the rest of the drive to the supermarket to get their last supplies. Steve doesn't comment, he just smiles as he pulls into a parking space.

 

"You think it's safe for you to go in there?" Steve jokes as he lets the blonde's hand go so they can unbuckle. "Last time, things got a little dicey."

"I'm not worried," Sam shrugs. With a wink, he adds, "I've got my big strong boyfriend to take care of me."

"You know what?" the brunette asks, waiting in front of the vehicle for his boyfriend to walk around it so he can take his hand back. "I can say the same thing about you."

"Do you hear that?" Sam puts his free hand to his ear. He answers without waiting, "It's the sound of criminals running the other way."

Steve barks a loud laugh, surprising an old man who was pushing an empty cart away from his vehicle.

"Sorry, brother," the brunette says, letting go of Sam's hand to take the cart for the old man. "I've got this. Sorry."

The old man grumbles something under his breath, shaking his head as he returns to his car.

"Nice work, Commander," Sam whispers. "Disturbing the peace is a crime here too, right?"

"Why? You going to arrest me, Constable?" Steve returns. "I'm fairly certain I said I'd be okay with that last time."

His boyfriend hits him in the arm, letting the brunette walk in front of him to get through the automatic doors first with the cart.

 

They enter the produce section of the store first to a tower of pineapples. Sam lets out a low whistle as he looks the edible construction over appreciatively.

"Someone was bored this morning," the blonde remarks. "And you guys have too many pineapples."

"You're one to talk, Mr. Our-Country-Puts-Maple-Syrup-On-Everything," Steve returns. 

"Our country has been exporting more and more of our liquid gold to you Americans over the years," Sam informs him. "One year, we had to reach into our reserves to keep up with your demands."

"My demands?" the brunette laughs.

"Not you exclusively, but you understand my meaning," the blonde shrugs.

The couple get their last remaining ingredients and head back to Steve's house. 

 

It's getting late. When they enter the house, Sam goes straight to the sink to wash his hands so he can dive right into cooking, leaving Steve to put away the groceries he doesn't need.

"How many eggs will you need?" the brunette asks, holding up the carton.

"Four," the blonde answers, arm moving the scaler over the fish expertly in quick succession. His boyfriend puts the numbered amount in a half empty fruit bowl before putting the rest in the carton in the fridge.

"It's too hot to leave out the milk," Steve says. "I'll put it in the front for easier access, though."

Sam hums in understanding, flipping the fish to start on the other side.

Steve closes the refrigerator door absently, his focus on the way his boyfriend's muscles flex with each swipe of the scaler. He swallows, stomping down on the desire to use those tempting arms for something else. He shakes his head, turning his focus to the meat Sam would cook later for Chin. 

Sam turns to swipe the removed scales into the trash, then looks the fish over carefully, occasionally using the scaler on parts where he sees imperfections.

"Okay," the blonde says, swiping the rest of the scales into the trash before dropping the scaler into the sink. He goes through the kitchen drawers until he pulls out a thin, partially-curved knife. Putting a hand against the fish, he cuts into the fish from head to tail; one side then the other. With that done, he gets another to cut the fish at the head, then removes the two halves away from the skeleton to look them over.

Steve stands, gaping with a head of broccoli and cauliflower in each hand, as he watches his boyfriend butcher the fish fluidly. Sam feels the stare and turns to his boyfriend.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asks, worried he had messed up a step.

"No," the brunette shakes his head quickly. "You're just amazing to watch."

Sam grins, holding the chunks of fish in one hand as he tosses the rest in the trash. 

"I hope you don't like to eat fish heads," he remarks as he goes over the inner sides of the cuts to double check for small bones. "Personally, it creeps me out, so I took the executive decision to chuck them."

Steve's mouth decides that it doesn't need a filter and he says exactly what comes to his head, "At this point, the only thing I want is you, on this counter, right now."

Sam drops the knife, the instrument clattering against the counter before falling to the ground to skid across the wood. He looks up to his boyfriend, flushed red from his hairline down his neck to where the top of his shirt was.

"You're mother is coming back for dinner," Sam reminds the other man, trying to calm down the heat prickling his body that was not caused by weather.

"She chose to be out of my life for this long," Steve shrugs. "What's another day?"

Sam calms as he smiles softly at his boyfriend, "You won't get any answers that way, Steve. Avoidance doesn't make the problem go away. I only pushes it to another day that we're never promised."

With a sigh, Steve puts the vegetables back onto the counter.

"I hate it when you're so remarkably insightful," he grumbles.

"Sure you do," Sam returns sarcastically. He retrieves the knife to put it in the sink then wipes his hands on a towel before looking through the seasonings. Turning back to the fish, he coats one side of them with various different spices before looking back up to his boyfriend.

"You get started on the asparagus, I'll make the mashed cauliflower," he says, extending an arm for the vegetable still being held by the other man.

Steve hands over the silently requested item, then puts the broccoli in the fridge. 

The two work side-by-side, preparing the meal in tandem with only a few bumped arms and brushed chests; one of them on purpose, though Steve will never confess to it.

 

Steve has just finished placing the last place setting on the table when there's a knock on the front door.

"I've got it," the brunette says, waving a hand to his boyfriend to tell him to stay as he jogs over to it.

Once again, Doris McGarrett and Catherine Rollins stand on the other side. 

"Hello again, honey," Doris smiles, reaching up to pat her son on the cheek before allowing herself in again to head straight for the kitchen.

"Do you want to call me when you're done here?" Catherine asks, still standing outside the door.

"No," Steve reaches out for her and pulls her in with a hand to her shoulder. "Sam made enough for four. You're staying."

"Are you sure?" she asks, sounding uneasy. "Wait, Sam can cook?"

"Haven't I mentioned that before?" the brunette asks, closing the door before leading his friend the rest of the way into his house.

"You don't mention too many things about your significant other, Steve," Catherine says with an annoyed look. The look falls away as her eyes widen in amazement at the neatly set table. "Wow."

Doris is standing opposite of Sam at the kitchen island, watching the blonde plate the food with raptured interest.

"It smells delicious," she compliments with a smile. "And you're making it look just as good, Samuel."

"Please, call me Sam, Mrs. McGarrett," Sam says in a friendly manner as he looks away from his work to address the woman. "Only my parents or people who are angry at me over something call me Samuel."

"Whatever's more comfortable for you, Sam," Doris makes a point to say the blonde's name clearly, but without offense. "Steven can probably relate to the name shortening. I'm fairly certain he doesn't hear the full version all that often."

"I'm surprised you didn't have your little spy contacts figure that out for you," Steve remarks off-handedly, earning a concerned look from Sam and Catherine as well as a sad one from his mother.

Doris pretends cheerfulness as she says, "Why don't we sit down and eat? It would be a shame for Sam's food to go cold, especially after all the work he put into it."

"Steve helped," Sam supplies, carrying two plates over to place at the table. Steve goes for the other two plates as Sam pulls out chairs for both women to sit them at the plates he placed.

"Thank you, Sam," Doris smiles, reaching up to pat the blonde on the side of the face before getting into her chair.

"Thanks, Sam," Catherine says, getting into her chair beside Mrs. McGarrett quickly so the man can take his seat beside her. Steve finishes the circle by sitting next to his mother and the group waste no time starting into the food.

Doris closes her eyes with a delighted groan of appreciation as she chew a piece of fish.

"This is so wonderfully tasty, Sam," she compliments, opening her eyes to smile at the young man. "Where did you ever learn to cook?"

"Started with my mom and I picked up a few things here and there," Sam answers pleasantly.

Tension in the room begins to build as Steve stabs and cuts with more force than necessary. Catherine remains politely quiet and Sam keeps an eye on his boyfriend, while Mrs. McGarrett acts as if nothing is wrong.

"What is in these mashed potatoes?" Doris speaks up again, trying to ease some of the tension away with conversation. 

"They're not potatoes, actually," Sam answers, his pleasant attitude a little more forced this time. "It's mashed cauliflower. Usually, potatoes are the side to pick with fish, but I thought cauliflower might be a nice alternative to try. Something lighter to sit in the stomach."

"You made the right choice, in my opinion," Doris grins with a wink. "I couldn't even tell at first, but then every new bite made me think, there must be something different about this."

"I can't do this," Steve drops his utensils as he looks to his mother. "I cannot sit here and play house with you after everything you did."

With a sigh, Mrs. McGarrett calmly places her utensils onto her plate. "I was hoping to avoid a fight with you, Steven."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have faked your own death, abandoned me, and let the man who orchestrated the death of my father, your husband, go free!"

Steve shoves his chair away to stand, one hand running over his face as his mother stares down at her plate. Catherine and Sam place their utensils down as they watch the exchange with guarded interest. 

"Maybe we should step into another room to discuss this?" Doris suggests as she starts to push her chair back.

"No." Steve says firmly, pointing a finger down onto the table. "Sam is family and Catherine is a close friend. Any excuse you can come up with, they can hear."

Sam's entire body tenses with the desire to stand up and wrap his boyfriend up in his arms. By all outside appearance, Steve looks firm and strong as he glares down at his mother, but Sam can see the small signs that the man was barely holding himself together. Sam holds back, though, because any movement from him would draw the focus away from Doris and could possibly stop her from telling Steve what he wants to know.

"I am sorry that I had to leave you, Steven," Mrs. McGarrett starts lowly. "I'm sorry that I chose the type of life that didn't allow me to stay home and bake cookies with my children." She turns sad and shining eyes to her son. "I'm sorry your father is dead. I'm sorry for it all and infinitely more. But I didn't let Wo Fat go on purpose, Steven. There was a scuffle, my gun went off, and he escaped. I couldn't stop him. Just like I couldn't stop the people who would go after you, Mary Ann, or John if I didn't fake my death and go into hiding. You think I wanted that? You think I wanted to abandon you? All of you? My family?"

Doris stands and Sam finds himself standing too, unable to hold back any longer should what the woman say next break his love's heart any more.

"I love you, Steven," Mrs. McGarrett adds tearfully. "I love Mary Ann and I love your father. Nothing can change that. I'm sorry that what I've done has made you think differently. I only hope, some day, you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

She turns and leaves with that, unwilling to risk waiting for any sort of response from her son. Unable to take rejection or face a reality that her child will forever hate her.

Catherine moves to follow her but Steve puts up a hand.

"Let her go," he whispers, not sure why he's asking such a ridiculous thing. His mother could disappear without a trace, again, given enough time.

Sam reaches out tentatively, his hand in clear view as he silently projects his intention to grab at Steve's hand. Steve fully turns to him to wrap him up in a tight hug, his head falling to the crook of the blonde's neck to breathe in his familiar scent to calm his nerves.

Catherine silently moves around the table to head towards the door. She makes eye contact with Sam, telling him without words to watch out for Steve. He nods his head in a return reply, promising he would. She smiles warmly at him in thanks, then lets herself out of the house.

Long after the front door clicks closed, Steve manages to pull away from Sam.

"She lied to me, Sam," he says, sounding almost broken. He looks directly into his boyfriend's eyes, pleading with him to make the it all go away, or at least explain it. "She sat right in front of me and lied about Wo Fat. There's no way he could have fought and overpowered her. Three shots into the ground without one even being close to hitting him?"

"I'm sorry, Steve," Sam says solemnly. "But she didn't lie about one important thing." He pulls the other man closer to finish, "She didn't lie about loving you. I saw it in her eyes, the one thing people can't disguise no matter what they do. No matter her flaws, your mother loves you, Steve."

"Not enough to tell me what's going on," the brunette returns darkly.

"Life..." Sam sighs, pulling Steve even closer as he turns his head to rest it against his chest, his arms fisted in the back of the other man's shirt as he holds on to him. "Life is gonna hurt. It's gonna sting. But I'll be there to hold you up, even when you can't feel my hands in yours."

Steve puts a hand to the back of Sam's head while the other rests at the middle of the blonde's back. He kisses the top of his boyfriend's head as his eyes close; accepting the comfort as best he can, even as his heart aches over his own mother's deception.

"I love you, Sam," Steve whispers, strength suddenly gone from his entire body to such the point where he wonders how he's still standing.

"I love you, Steve," Sam returns, voice stronger than his lover as he tries to hold onto him so tight he can meld their very souls together. 

The night moves on beyond the two men, but they ignore it in favor of holding onto each other.

 

\--- - ---

 

Sunday is so incredibly cloudy one would think rain were coming, but it doesn't deter the couple as Sam prepares the food for Chin and Steve drives them to the man's house. Walking up the path that leads to the front door, Sam adjusts his hold on the meat pie, suddenly feeling very nervous.

"Maybe you should have called first, Steve," the blonde says. "He might not even be home, or want visitors."

"Chin hasn't been hiding out in his house," Steve informs him. "Regardless of how Danny made it sound, Chin has been out in the field, working, even after Malia's passing. He might not have been one-hundred percent, but he was still there."

"Still..." Sam hesitates as they stop at the front door. "I don't want help to turn into hindrance."

"If he's not home it won't matter," his boyfriend assures him. "And if he isn't up to visitors, we'll drop the food and go. Okay?"

The door opens before Steve can knock. Chin looks between the two with a blank expression.

"For two super humans, neither of you know how to approach a door quietly," he remarks, then smiles to ease the looks of fear on his guests' faces. "Come on in, guys. It's messy, but you're welcome to come in."

In the living room, there are takeout boxes littering the coffee table, beer bottles in random spots, and open cardboard boxes with a few pieces of clothing half sticking out of it.

"I was out riding all day yesterday," Chin explains as he starts to pick up. "Then I slept in this morning, so I haven't gotten around to cleaning up yet."

"Here, let me help," Steve offers, stacking a few boxes together. 

"Thanks," Chin smirks, going to the kitchen area for a garbage can. He offers it to his teammate who tosses in his collection. "I'll get the bottle for deposit later," Chin remarks, bringing the can back to the kitchen. "Do you guys want anything? I've got some water left."

"No thank you, Chin," Sam answers. 

"Yeah, we're good," Steve adds.

"We actually brought you something," the blonde says, stepping forward to offer the foil-wrapped food to the man. He sobers as Chin takes it. "I'm sorry for your loss, Chin. I can't imagine your pain."

Chin nods, his jaw clenching under the skin as he pulls the offering closer to his chest. He brings it closer to his face for a sniff, then carries it to a counter so he can unwrap a corner to look at it.

"A meat pie?" he guesses, looking to his guests for confirmation.

"Yup!" Steve pipes up happily. "And I haven't tried that particular recipe yet, Chin, so you'll have to let me know how it turned out."

"Trying to get your grubby fingers into my food, Steve?" Chin jokes, holding the food away from the brunette. "You should have gotten Sam to make you extra."

"I did!" Steve pretends to whine, easily following the other man's humor. "He refused, firmly stating that gifts for others aren't for those who give them."

Chin chuckles, taking the food to the kitchen to store it in the refrigerator.

"How long are you staying in Hawaii this time, Sam?" he asks, walking back.

"I have to leave again tomorrow," the blonde answers with regret. 

"It's a shame your visits can't be longer," Chin says. "Steve was walking on a cloud for days after the last time you came."

Sam turns to his boyfriend, "And to think I was under the impression you missed me when I wasn't around."

"He means I was so happy that it carried on into the next few days," the brunette defends himself.

"So now I can't understand what other people are saying?" the blonde returns, looking angry. "What is that supposed to even mean?"

"Steve, you need to treat Sam better," Chin scolds.

"What? Why are you two ganging up on me for no reason?" Steve pretends to look affronted.

The trio break down into soft laughs as the rest of the uneasiness falls from the room.

"I think I understand how you and Danny get along so well, Steve, even though the two of you are constantly clashing," Chin comments. When he gets twin looks of curiosity, he explains, "Danny reminds you of Sam. Not just in blonde hair and blue eyes, but in his kind heart and personality."

"Except Sam doesn't look for something to be negative about," Steve adds. 

"And he doesn't know how to shoot a rifle from hundreds of miles away," Chin says with a point to the blonde.

"We're not here to talk about me, guys," Sam reminds them, looking to Chin. "Not that I mind being compared to my boyfriend's partner..."

"You're right, that was an awkward topic," their host lowers his head. "Hey, what sort of sports are you into, Sam? Maybe you can come to our next Pro Bowl."

"I'm a big Hockey fan, but I can get into the spirit of any game when surrounded by the right atmosphere," the blonde replies.

"Chin, you are a genius," Steve smiles. "We'll all go! And, Chin, I'm paying for your ticket, don't you try to stop me."

"Why would I do that?" his friend returns. "I'm a man who appreciates gifts."

"Speaking of gifts," Sam says, turning toward the window to point out where Chin's bike was parked. "You spoke of riding and Steve says you're an expert to be admired on that thing. What sort of bike is it?"

"It's a Lito SORA Electric Superbike," Chin smiles, passed his guests and motioning for them to follow him outside to see the bike better. "The concept was first presented by a Canadian manufacturer, Lito Green Motion, and the Superbike doesn't deviate far from the first concept."

"Can you drive any motorcycle, or do you solely ride your own?" Sam asks as he looks the impressive bike over.

"If it's got two wheels and an engine, I can ride it," the man answers proudly. "I've been on my share of Harleys and a few HPD bikes as well. Do you ride, Sam?"

"Nah," the blonde shakes his head, hands hovering near the vehicle but not daring to actually touch. "I've barely sat on one of these, things, let alone ridden one. I have driven plenty of snowmobiles, though, if the concept is similar."

"Maybe I can take you for a drive throughout the island some time," Chin offers, then looks to his teammate. "Assuming that's okay with you, Steve."

"I'm protective not possessive," the brunette jokes. 

"Good," his friend returns. "Because there's nothing like driving through Hawaiian roads with the wind on your face and the sun warming your skin. The feel of the engine turning the wheels around as they propel you further and further towards your destination. Much better than a car or truck, where you feel separated from the journey."

"I did not know you could be so poetic, Chin," Steve remarks warmly, patting his friend on the shoulder.

"That's life for you," the man shrugs. "Tossing you curve balls when you least expect it."

Sam straightens from where he was crouched near the Chin's bike to turn to him fully, his face kind and open but without the type of pity those who grieve hate to see the most.

"Just remember," the blonde remarks, voice lower than usual as he watches the man lift his eyes to him. "We were born with mitts on our hands. So we can catch the curveballs and throw them back at the world. Daring it to keep us down for the count. And no matter what, you still have a team backing your play and there to support you."

Steve's face hurts with how wide he smiles at his boyfriend. It was times like this that he appreciated the blonde's change in career. Sam's choice to become part of the SRU, to train to be a negotiator, made him more sensitive to other people. Not that he wasn't a kind person before. It just made him an even better man now. It brought out the soft light that was Samuel Braddock and Steve loved every part of him.

"Thanks for that, Sam," Chin says, reaching out to shake the man's hand. "It means a lot to me that you came to visit. And I'm not just talking about the food, not that it isn't appreciated."

"You're welcome," Sam returns as their hands drop. "I understand loss and how it can mess you up. No one's pain is the same as another's, but we all understand that losing a loved one is something we'd never wish on anyone else."

The men talk some more about bikes, sports, and anything else that comes to mind. It becomes less and less about the conversation and more about the company and the comfort it gives. After a few hours, Steve looks to his watch and makes the polite excuse of wanting to show Sam some sights before nightfall. Chin shakes both men's hands before waving them off from the porch as they drive away.

 

\- - - -

 

After a few miles, Steve drives off the paved, main road and onto a dirt, more forested, side one. He takes that road for several more miles, only stopping when they reach a small side clearing where he parks the truck and turns off the engine.

"I'm going to nip something in the bud before it can possibly form into anything even minutely misunderstood," he starts, looking to Sam. "I am not, in any way, shape or form, attracted to Danny. He is my friend and my work partner, only. Nothing more. I have never thought of him as anything else. Well, before we worked together I didn't like him that much, but my point is-"

Sam unbuckles so he can stretch his body across the truck to pull his boyfriend in for a kiss. Steve curls an arm around his lover's chest to hold him close and away from the horn as he returns the kiss.

Pulling back, Sam's eyes dart back and forth between hazel eyes as he says, "I never thought you did. You're a good man, Steve. If you were falling out of love with me, you would have said something."

"I swear," Steve says, using his other arm to help hold Sam close, uncaring for how his seatbelt was cutting off circulation in his arm. "I love you and only you, Samuel Braddock. You're ten times cuter than anyone else I've ever seen and have a heart that outshines even that."

"After I met you, I was ruined for anyone else," Sam tells his lover, expression open, honest, and slightly vulnerable.

Steve pulls him back in for another long kiss before breathlessly asking, "Can we start talking about marriage now?"

Sam chuckles as he gives his boyfriend one more deep kiss. He forces himself out of the brunette's arms to return to his seat.

"Take me home and we'll talk about it," he says, grinning from ear to ear.

"As you wish," Steve grins back, starting up the vehicle and turning around as fast as possible.

 

\- - - -

 

That night, Sam brings out the paperwork for Steve to sign to make him his next of kin. Steve, in turn, prints out the papers to do the same for Sam. Both are forced to wait until morning to file their papers, but something still tugs at both of their hearts as they look at each others signatures on their respective papers.

"You know you'll have to meet my parents before we can seriously discuss getting married," Sam points out as he gets into bed first.

"Naturally," Steve returns, turning off the lights before following the blonde to bed. "I have to ask the General for your hand, after all."

Sam snorts, wrapping an arm around his boyfriend's middle as soon as he settles under the covers. "I think I'd like to be here when you do that. Or on the moon, I can't imagine him taking the news...gracefully."

Steve huffs a laugh at the understatement. He only knew about General Braddock from whispers in the military and what Sam told him, but it was enough for him to know he wasn't a guy who beat around the bush if he disagreed with something. His one and only son, the 'pride of the family', being gay was not something he voiced support over.

"Would it bother you?" Steve asks gently, running his fingers up and down Sam's arm. "If your dad didn't come to either ceremony?"

Because the one thing the couple had decided on was to have two ceremonies, one in each country, if either party's friends and family couldn't make it to the first.

"My gut reaction is to say no," Sam replies softly. He lets out a tired sigh as he closes his eyes. "But the rest of me isn't too sure. I feel like I'm starting to finally get through to him, but then again..." He shrugs, unable to properly word how he felt.

"Don't worry about it," Steve tells him, planting a kiss on the top of his head. "We just started to think about it. No need to go rushing down the aisle."

"Steve?" Sam turns his head as he lifts himself up on one elbow. His boyfriend lifts an eyebrow in question as he waits for the rest. "Even if we never make it official, I just want you to know..." He sinks on his arm, strength falling away as he catches the shine of Steve's eyes through the shadows of the room. "I will love you forever and I will never regret it."

Steve rolls their bodies over. He hovers over Sam as he holds himself up on his elbows and knees; looking down at the blonde as if he were going to devour him whole, their faces barely a breath away.

"You have my whole heart, Sam," Steve confesses, voice breaking at the end. He leans down to gently take his lover by the mouth, easing him into a long, slow kiss as he lowers his body onto him...

 

\--- - ---

 

Monday morning, Steve drives Sam to Five-O headquarters so he can fax his papers ahead to be filed even faster. The brunette handles his own paperwork as well and the couple finish seconds before Kono, Danny, and Chin walk into the building.

"Are you serious?" Kono frowns at the two as she approaches. "My hello is also my goodbye?"

"Aloha stands for both," Sam offers with a half shrug.

"Oh, no, you cannot pull that on me, brother," Kono grabs hold of Sam's arm and pulls him into a tight hug. "Watch yourself next time you come, because I'm going to make you pay for not seeing me."

"Why not take your revenge out on Steve?" the blonde suggests. "He's the one who kept me to himself."

"Why am I being thrown under the bus?" his boyfriend objects. "You never said you wanted to visit the others."

"Steven," Danny levels a hard look to the man. "It is not appropriate for you to assume that Sam knows the ins and outs of your friend's schedules. As!" he says with a raised voice, adding a finger to stop the other man from interrupting, "As his boyfriend and Hawaiian guide, you are solely responsible for making sure he sees all the right people while visiting this island trap. You would know that if you grew up in Jersey, like yours truly."

"Danny, you knew that Sam was here," Steve counters angrily. "Why didn't YOU suggest a get together with the team?"

"Sam is not my boyfriend and I was uninformed of your personal schedule," the blonde detective counters. "Were you not listening to the things I just said?"

"Alright! I'm sorry!" Steve throws his hands up in the air in defeat. "Next time I'll share Sam, okay?"

"Sam's going to try to come back for the Pro Bowl," Chin supplies for the group. "Steve volunteered to buy us all tickets to go."

"No, wait!" the brunette lifts a hand as Kono and Danny turns surprised looks to their leader. "I said I'd buy Chin's ticket, and only because he thought of it and I wanted to thank him."

"So what?" Danny shakes his head. "Kono and I have to come up with something to do for you in order to earn a spot in the 'I-like-you-enough-to-buy-you-things' category?"

"Sounds a little shady if you ask me," Kono mumbles to her blonde teammate.

"Unbelievable," Steve shakes his head at his teammates. "Absolutely unbelievable."

"Speaking of unbelievable, Sam," Danny nods his head to the man's chest. "Are you wearing your dog tags from the military? I can see it poking through your shirt."

"Steve is wearing one too," Chin observes. "I didn't notice that before."

"Neither did I," Danny speaks again, looking between the couple. "Is there a significance we're missing, fellas?"

Sam puts a hand over the tag under his shirt as he looks to Steve for what to do. Steve, in turn, looks to Sam, asking him with his eyes if he were comfortable showing the others.

"Oh no, silent superhuman communication," Danny muses aloud. 

"Guess there's no point in wearing them if we don't show them off to family," Steve comments, still waiting for an answer.

"If you're okay with it, I'm okay with it," Sam replies, pulling off his tag to show the others easier. His boyfriend follows suit.

"Braddock-McGarrett," Kono reads aloud, having been the closest to Sam. She lets go of the tag so the owner can put it back on. "Does this mean you two are officially engaged?"

"Congratulations," Chin says before they can answer.

"We're not engaged yet," Steve explains, holding tight to the chain of his tag as Danny looks it over. "This was just my version of...A sort of promise ring, I guess."

"A pair of closet romantics," Danny surmises letting the tag go so it can return to its place around his partner's neck. "What did the hard-core Canadians think about those? Or did you just get them on this visit?"

"Sam's unit actually found them during my interrogation," Steve answers, frowning at the looks of surprise on Kono and Chin's faces until he remembers he hadn't told them about that particular incident.

"Yes, we will all be getting that story later on, I'm sure," Danny announces with a pointed look to Steve.

"Canadian shovel talk?" Chin guesses, looking to Sam. The blonde nods. "I see."

"Sam's going to miss his plane," Steve states, grabbing hold of his boyfriend's arm. "As much as I want him to stay forever, he has to get back."

"I hope you can make it back for Pro Bowl, Sam," Kono calls after the blonde as he's dragged away.

"Pleasant travels, Sam!" Chin adds.

"And don't forget to write!" Danny ends with a jokes as the couple walks out of sight.

 

Kono looks between her two teammates after Steve and Sam have left.

"Where do you think they'll have the ceremony?" she wonders.

"Has Steve met Sam's parents yet?" Chin adds.

"Has Sam met Steve's non-so-dead mother?" Danny puts in.

The trio looks amongst themselves with varying stages of uneasiness.

"That can't possibly be a comfortable dinner," Kono finally says.

"Nope," her cousin agrees as Danny nods his head.

 

\- - - -

 

At the airport, both Steve and Sam are surprised to find Doris McGarrett, wearing a large sunhat to cover part of her face, waiting near the security area that led to gate where Sam's plane was going to depart from.

"Hello, Sam," Doris smiles, pulling the blonde into a hug. "I wanted to give you a proper goodbye."

"You're supposed to be in hiding," Steve reminds his mother with a low voice as he looks around for potential threats.

"Security cameras in this particular room are down at the moment," Doris informs him with a wink. "I didn't want to risk any bad blood between me and your boyfriend. I figured a personal farewell would be better than a call or message."

"Not if it puts you in danger," her son counters angrily.

"Thank you for coming to see me off, Mrs. McGarrett," Sam steps in.

"Doris, please," the woman smiles. "We're family, after all."

"Then thank you, Doris," Sam corrects. "I hope to be able to talk with you again some time. Hopefully, under better circumstances."

"Oh, me too, Sam," Doris returns with genuine feeling. "Me too."

"Okay, we've got to go," Steve urges, pulling on his mother's arm. He turns back towards Sam with a grimace. "Sam, I-"

"I can walk onto the plane myself, Steve," his boyfriend assures him. He takes the steps needed to reach the brunette and plants a brief kiss on his lips. "I'll call you when I get back to my apartment."

Steve grabs Sam's hand before he can fully turn away.

"I'll miss you, Braddock," he says softly. 

"No more than I'll miss you, McGarrett," Sam returns, giving the hand a squeeze.

The couple let go at the same time. Sam walks through security and turns back in time to see Steve completely step out of sight. He smiles, then resumes his walk towards the gate.

 

\- - - -

 

Steve practically drags his mother to his truck, opening the door for her as he orders her to get in. She does without a fight and the brunette quickly rounds the vehicle to drive away form the busy airport.

"That was really stupid, Doris," he scolds, hand tight on the steering wheel. "For all your talk of keeping a low profile and not being seen, you allowed yourself to walk into one of the most public areas and risk exactly that."

"I told you, Steven," she returns evenly as she takes off her hat to rest it on her lap. "I wanted to see Sam off. I really did take care of the security cameras in that one spot. No one looking for me would think I'd go there and I had this ridiculous hat to hide my face from anyone who did. You drew more attention to it by acting all squirrely."

"I thought you left the island. You were supposed to leave the island," Steve reminds her. "Why didn't you? What business do you still have in Hawaii?"

"I have you, Steven," his mother answers softly. "After all this time apart, I wanted to be able to spend some time with you."

Instead of appeasing him, the words make Steve's anger grow.

"Somehow," he seethes, failing to keep all the anger in. "I don't believe you."

"I understood that after you sent Catherine to follow me around," Doris remarks.

Silence stretches for a few miles before Steve asks, "How long are you going to stay this time? If you really do leave, will you tell me?"

"I'll be sticking around for a while," Doris answers. "I'll give you a number to call me, in an emergency, but I won't be able to insure how soon I'll get back to you."

"More spy crap," her son huffs. "Great."

Silence returns and with a heavier air than before. Neither McGarrett speak to each other as the younger drives home.

Doris doesn't stay the night and Steve doesn't even bother to ask her why or where she's going.

\- - - -

Steve waits up till well passed midnight to hear from Sam. He falls asleep on the couch, cellphone in hand. 

 

\--- - ---


	2. In the Hands of the Enemy

The phone rings, startling Steve out of a strange dream he instantly forgets as he rushes to answer it.　

"Hello? Sam?" he says, rubbing the sleep form his eyes. He hadn't taken the time to see the caller ID.　

"I was afraid you'd answer like that," Greg's worried voice comes through the other line.　

"Greg?" Steve asks, even though he knows who he's talking to. "What- Is there something wrong? Did something happen during Sam's flight?"　

"Not from what we can tell," Greg answers. "Sam's flight came in, on time, and everyone  else who was supposed to be on it came off."

"Everyone else?" Steve repeats, dread pooling in the bottom of his stomach. "Greg, where's Sam?"

"We don't know, Steve," the other man says with a controlled tone. "We've tried calling him but his phone isn't working. We were hoping he missed his flight and forgot to call us for some reason, maybe his battery died. It was out of character for Sam, but-" there's a breath and Steve is not liking the pause any more than the words before it. "I had Spike check security feeds on our end while Jules talked to the flight attendants and the rest of us interviewed the other passengers. Sam never came off that flight because he was never on it. No one on the plane ever saw him."

"That can't be right," Steve jumps to his feet, grabbing his keys on the way to the door. "I saw him walk towards the security area. Greg, he was walking towards the plane!"

"I believe you, Steve," Greg returns calmly. "Which leads me to two possibilities; one, Sam turned back to surprise you and something happened, or two, Sam's been taken."

Steve is already in the car, the engine roaring to life as he slams it into gear so he can drive.

"Does Sam have any enemies who might be after him?" he asks, turning on his lights so he can justify going faster. "Has he received any threats? Anyone holding a grudge against him?"

"Not on our end, no," Greg answers, voice still a strong and unmoving. "We're running down every possibility we can think of over here, but since he was last seen in your country, I'll need you to take point for me. Give me back the facts as you come by them, if you can."

"I'm on my way to the airport now," Steve tells him. "After I hang up with you, I'll call my team and we'll start searching for him here. We will find Sam."

Steve doesn't know if he says those last four words for Greg's sake or his own. Either way, they feel hollow coming out of his mouth as the dread grows stronger, reaching up into his chest to make his heart beat painfully.

"I'll let you go then," Greg says with reluctance. "Please call me on this number when you get anything."

"Will do," Steve promises, then hangs up to immediately call Danny.

"Hey, caveman, are you just getting up?" comes the cheery greeting when his partner picks up.

"Sam's missing," the brunette says, cutting to the chase. "He never made it to Canada. Didn't even make it onto the plane. I'm on my way to the airport now to check the security cameras but I need help tracking down who was working security or anyone who was there to see if they saw where Sam went."

"I'll call the others and meet you there," Danny says, all semblance of his happy greeting gone. "We'll find him, Steve."

"Yeah," is all Steve can say before hanging up. After pocketing his phone, he pushes down harder on the accelerator.

　

\- - - -

　

"We were having security issues that day," Manny, the head of security, explains to McGarrett as he leads the man to the control room. "A few of our cameras were not functioning for a reason we still don't understand."

'It's because of my mother.' Steve knows, but doesn't say. "You still have footage though, right? Show me everything you have."

"Of course, Commander," Manny nods, moving a man out of a chair to get at the keyboard. After a few hurried clicks, several screens change from current views to ones from the day before. Manny rewinds to the time in question, then starts to click through several fuzzy readouts until he passes one beyond the gate.

"There!" Steve stops the man when he sees Sam. "Go back."

Manny rewinds the tape and the two watch as Sam walks through security, turns to look back briefly, then heads towards the edge of the camera.

"Where does the next one pick up?" Steve prompts, eyes glued to the recorded image of his boyfriend.

After a few clicks, another view is shown with the blonde still walking away from security. A little girl suddenly runs up to Sam to tug on his sleeve, pointing behind her to something as she looks sadly up at the blonde. Sam kneels down to the girl for a moment, before standing again to be led by her hand away from the camera angle. Manny goes to the next screen without prompting and they watch the young girl stop outside a door and point to it. Sam kneels again, his mouth moving as he says something, then he motions for the girl to wait as he heads through the door. The door closes and the little girl's worried frown turns into a smile as she skips away from it.

"What's beyond that door?" Steve asks when a new angle isn't brought up.

"It's an emergency stairwell," Manny explains. "We haven't gotten around to installing security cameras in it, since it's barely used."

"Where does it lead out of?" the brunette presses. "There's got to be an outside door that we can see, right?"

"Yes," Manny draws the word out as he begins to type. The screen changes yet again, this time showing a partial angle from above a door. At the topmost corner, there's a distinct shape of a vehicle's bumper, but there isn't enough of it to distinguish what kind of vehicle it is. A few minutes pass, then the door opens. A man wearing a grey cap keeps his head low to cover his face. It doesn't disguise Sam's unconscious figure being dragged by the man, out of the airport, and towards the awaiting vehicle.

KIDNAPPED rings loud and painfully throughout Steve's entire body. His grip on Manny's chair tightens as he orders the man to rewind the footage. Manny does, but there's nothing more to see the second time around.

"Send a copy of all your security files from yesterday up till today to Five-O," Steve orders, pulling out his phone to check on the progress of his team. He vaguely hears the assent from Manny, but he's already on the move, impatiently waiting for Danny to pick up.

"We're here, Steve," his partner answers. "Where do you want us to start?"

"Sam's been kidnapped," Steve tells him, voice a barely contained growl of frustration. He completely agrees with the curse that comes from Danny's mouth.

"Do we have any idea who did it?" Danny asks.

"Not yet," the brunette says with inner hatred for the fact. "But we will."

　

\- - - -

　

Chin goes over every second of security footage, Kono and several HPD officer track down and talk with people who were there, while Steve and Danny try to track down the little girl. Eventually, they do, and what they hear isn't much help.

"A man gave me money to play a game with him," the girl says, nervously swishing her skirt side to side while her aunt stands behind her. "He told me to get the yellow haired man with the pretty blue eyes to come find my imaginary sister."

"Can you describe what this man looks like?" Steve asks, forcing himself to remain calm in front of the little girl.

She shakes her head, then shrugs. "He didn't look like the yellow haired man. His face was different. That's all I know." She frowns as she pulls her lower lip into her mouth. "Do I have to give you the money back?"

"No, sweetheart," Danny assures her, pushing himself in front of his partner. "I'll tell you what, though, I'll trade you for the exact amount, okay? Does that seem fair?"

"Well..." she hesitates.

"Please?" Danny adds with a smile. "It would be a big help to us."

"Okay!" the girl shrugs, turning to her aunt for the small puppy dog purse in her hand. She takes out a twenty and hands it over to Danny. "Will it have the same picture on it?"

"Definitely," the detective assures her, getting out a twenty and a single from his wallet. He pulls out a handkerchief from his back pocket to take the money from the little girl. "There," he says, folding the money in the cloth. "I added an extra dollar, for being such a big help."

"Thank you, detective!" the girl smiles, putting the money back into her purse.

　

The aunt knows even less than the little girl about the event, having left the little girl for a moment to use the bathroom. Danny thanks her anyways, giving her his card in case her niece should remember anything else. He then takes his partner by the elbow to lead him away and back towards his car.

"We need to take her with us," Steve says, turning on his partner as they reach the vehicle. "Chin can makes stills of everyone who was in that airport. She might be able to recognize the man if she saw him again."

"Or it might make her forget what he looked like after seeing hundreds of photos of people, Steve," Danny objects. "Listen, I want to find Sam too, but we can't do that dragging around a little kid. It just isn't done. When we narrow down our suspects, then we can come back and show them to her, not before."

"I don't like this, Danny," Steve says, fists clenched. "I hate it. Someone has Sam. I don't know who or why, and it's killing me inside."

"Okay, okay, take a breath," Danny pulls in a breathe and lets it out for an example to his partner. The brunette doesn't do it. "Hey," the blonde detective smacks him. "Listen to me for once, will you? Now take a breath."

That time Steve does, but it doesn't do anything to calm him. It only stops him from punching Danny's car, which they took because it was faster than his truck.

"I know this is terrible and things seem impossible right now," Danny starts off, hands up as if keeping a wild animal calm. "But losing our heads will not help Sam. We need to focus on what leads we do have, find what we're missing, so we can get him back. Okay? Because we will get him back. Super soldier will probably be free and waiting for us when we do."

That surprises a huffed laugh out of Steve that breaks away a part of the tightness in his chest.

"Okay, Danny," he nods. "Okay, lets get back to headquarters to go over what the others know. Maybe Chin has something for us."

"Alright, that's good thinking, come on," Danny ushers the man towards the driver's side as he gets into the passenger's.

　

\- - - -

　

There's nothing on the money, no fingerprints or traceable compounds.

One dead end leads to another and Steve's blood pressure overpasses Danny's on his worst day.

 

\--- * ---

　

Sam wakes to a groggy head and no idea where he is. He tries to reach up to rub at his eyes but his arms won't cooperate. Confused, he tries to move other parts of his body, only to find himself bound to a metal chair. He looks himself over, blinking rapidly to get the remnants of whatever his kidnapper gave him to dissipate faster. His coat is gone, leaving him in his cargo pants and short sleeved shirt. His wrists and ankles are bound with rope and there are a few lines of rope wrapped around his chest as well.

A door straight ahead of him screeches on its hinges as it opens and he lifts his head towards the man who walks through it. The man is of Asian decent, with short dark hair and darker, piercing eyes. The smile he sends his prisoner sends an unpleasant shiver up the man's spine.

"Hello, Samuel," the man greets. "My name is Wo Fat."

Sam relies on his training to stop himself from reacting to the name. He knew who Wo Fat was. Steve had warned him of the man, telling him enough of the man's evil to be wary of him. There was no doubt in Sam's mind why he was taken now. He was there so Wo Fat could to get at Steve. The specifics were all that were left to figure out.

"So what makes a man fall for Steven McGarrett?" Wo Fat asks, trailing his fingers down the side of Sam's face. The blonde doesn't even flinch. "What is it about the Commander that makes you weak in the knees?"

"The better question is, what does McGarrett have or know that you're willing to be caught in order to get it?" Sam counters.

"Maybe it's his eyes?" Wo Fat wonders, putting a hand over the blonde's eyes. "Or is it the way he styles his hair?" The hand slides up to card through Sam's hair. Running through it a second time, Wo Fat grabs tight to the strands and jerks Sam's head back harshly. "Is it either of those things, Samuel?"

"You're making this personal," Sam observes, taking slow deep breaths to keep himself calm. "Did McGarrett do something to someone in your family? Your mother? Father?"

Wo Fat pulls out a knife with his free hand and rests the flat side of the blade against Sam's lips.

"I bet it's the way he kisses you that makes you all hot and bothered about him," he says; sliding the blade down, without cutting, over Sam's chin, down his throat, until he reaches the topmost part of his shirt. "Would you like me to kiss you, Samuel? Would you like to know you picked the right man to spend the rest of your life with?"

"Hurting me won't avenge whatever McGarrett did to you," Sam tells him, forcing himself to remain calm. "Don't fool yourself into thinking that this has to do with him anymore. This is about you, not what Steve did to your loved ones."

Using the knife, Wo Fat lifts the chain of Sam's dog tag, making the metal clink softy as it skids down at the new angle.

"Braddock-McGarrett," Wo Fat tilts his head to read, then moves his face in front of Sam to say, his voice low, "How quaint. Your name is first."

"Actions without reasons are empty," Sam returns, even as his heart thumps louder with the other man's face so close to his own.

"You don't need to know the reasons," his captor tells him, pulling his head back as far as it will go. "You only need to accept your fate and answer my questions for leniency."

Sam's chest arches against the ropes bound tightly around him. His body trembles minutely as his entire front is stretched out all the way. His hands hold on to the arms of his chair tightly as he closes his eyes to focus on his breathing and keeping calm.

"Last time, Samuel Braddock," Wo Fat warns, putting the tip of the blade against the man's Adam's apple. "What is it about Steven McGarrett that you love?"

"Everything," Sam says firmly, trying to keep his body as still as possible with the blade so close to cutting. "I love everything about him; from his eyes to the way he walks."

Wo Fat lets him go with a flourish, pulling the knife away before it can cut as he goes. Sam instantly slumps in the chair, head bowed forward slightly to give some relief for the soreness in the front of his neck.

"Let's hope he feels the same about you," Wo Fat remarks, reaching forwards to grab hold of the tag and rip it off of the blonde's neck. Sam winces but otherwise shows no reaction to it. The criminal glances down at the tags and frowns. "I'm not sure this will be enough," he says, looking to his weapon in the other hand. "McGarrett might think I'm bluffing about having you. I'll need more proof." He looks his captive over carefully for a moment, then steps forwards to slice at the blonde's exposed forearm in one swift movement that has Sam shocked before he even registers the pain.

Wo Fat rubs the tag into the wound, pressing down into the cut until Sam grunts from the pain. Stepping back, he holds the tag by it's chain to look it over.

"That should do it," Wo Fat muses aloud. He looks down at his captive's stoic expression. "I'll be back shortly, Samuel. There will be plenty of time for us to talk after I make a few preparations."

The criminal turns and leaves, the door creaking back into place as he goes.

Sam turns his head towards his injured arm. It burns. The cut isn't too deep so he won't bleed out, but without treatment there's a risk for infection. Sam huffs a depreciating laugh as he tries out his bindings again. Whoever tied him down knew what they were doing; the ropes have no give to them. Flexing his fingers and toes, he realizes how numb everything is becoming, so not only is he tied down well, he's tied down tight.

Sam sighs out a breath, relaxing his body as he tries to twist one of his arms out from under the ropes.

It doesn't work.

Looking around, Sam tries to see something that could help him escape his bindings. The room is bare except for one small, wooden crate near the door. Sam wishes he were tied in a wooden chair. That way he'd be able to break it and have a fighting chance. Bound as he was... He had only his wits and the knowledge that Steve would come for him to survive.

　

\--- * ---

　

Dawn rises on Steve where he's looking over the security videos yet again, even through there's nothing to find. Steve's cell phone rings and he runs a tired hand over his face before looking at the screen for the caller ID.

'Sam B.' reads out on it and his heart leaps in his chest as he fumbles to answer it as fast as he can.

"Sam?" he says the name with more hope than he should.

"Good morning, Commander McGarrett," Wo Fat's voice comes through the other end and Steve's world stops spinning. "I'm sending you a care package later today. I hope you keep an eye out for it. It's not as nice as the one Samuel sent you, but it should clarify a few things."

"If you touch one hair on his head-"

"Oh, but I already have, McGarrett," Wo Fat speaks over the venomous threat with a calm tone. "In fact, I have touched many parts of Samuel and will continue to touch more of him if you do not deliver your mother, and yourself, to me."

"Why not just you and me?" Steve spits. "Come on, you coward! Tell me where and I'll meet you!"

"In time, Commander," Wo Fat returns. "In time."

The line goes dead and Steve nearly chucks the device against the floor. Instead, he runs into his office where Chin had dozed off on the small couch. He rouses the man roughly, unable to be gentle with the need to have the man conscious as soon as possible.

"Wo Fat has Sam," he tells Chin the second the man opens his eyes. "He just called me on Sam's phone. Can you trace it?"

Chin is up like a shot, running towards the computer table to work, rubbing at his eyes one at a time as his fingers fly over the smooth surface.

"Assuming the GPS is sending out a strong signal and the phone is still on..." Chin's voice trails off as he focuses more on doing the actions than talking about them. After a few moments, his shoulders slump, telling Steve all he needs to know before he says, "Sam's phone is off or destroyed. I can't trace it."

Steve slams his phone onto the table, making Chin flinch, then he stomps away, needing to blow off some steam somewhere, anywhere... His world was spiraling out of control. Wo Fat had Sam and wanted him and his mother for a trade. Or was it even a trade? Wo Fat hadn't promised to let Sam go. He only made his demands. It was an obvious trap where no one but the manipulator is supposed to escape from alive.

Steve curses as he punches a hole in a wall; the sudden, sharp pain in his hand only a temporary distraction to the one in his head and heart. Wo Fat's words spiral out of control as he imagines all the dark possibilities they could mean. He clenches his fist, splitting the small cut on his knuckle wider to the point where it begins to bleed down the side of his hand. If it turns out that Wo Fat has harmed Sam in any way....Steve vows right then and there to kill Wo Fat on the spot.

　

\--- * ---

　

After a few more minutes of trying to get to move the ropes, Sam gives up on trying to wriggle out. He then tries to scoot the chair, only to discover it has been bolted down. Wo Fat wasn't taking any chances. He was determined to keep him in place, exactly where he wanted, so that he could be used against Steve.

Sam hated it, but he wasn't scared. He was worried about Steve's mental well-being, yes, but he wasn't scared for himself.

　

\--- * ---

　

After calming down, Steve returns to his phone and uses the emergency number his mother gave him. He's surprised when she answers after two rings.

"Is it true?" Doris asks as a greeting. "Is Sam missing?"

Steve doesn't bother asking how his mother already knew. He goes straight to the important part, "Yes. Wo Fat has him and he wants a meeting with you and me to get him back. I need you to come to Five-O headquarters as soon as you can."

"I'll be there as soon as I'm able," she promises, then hangs up.

Some part of Steve takes comfort in the fact he got a hold of his mother so easily. Another part of him worries if she'll keep her word...Or run off again. He hates himself for thinking it, and what horrible things he considers doing if she does, so he shoves such thoughts to the furthest reach of his mind as he heads back to the computer table.

"What did Wo Fat say?" Chin asks as his leader and friend approaches him again. "Did he let you talk to Sam? Is he still alive?"

"He's alive," Steve answers with conviction. "Wo Fat knows he won't get anything if he isn't."

"You're right, of course," Chin nods. "But did you get to talk to him? Did he say anything that could tip you off about where he is?"

"No," the brunette shakes his head. "I didn't get to talk to him. It was only Wo Fat, mocking me and making demands. He says there's a package coming for me. We need to keep an eye out for it and track where it comes from."

"I'll inform the officers downstairs and keep a lookout myself," Chin says, jogging off to do just that.

Steve merely nods, unable to speak with everything rolling through his head at once.

　

\- - - -

　

Danny arrives an hour later with a box in a plastic bag and a frown. The box is small, almost the size of the detective's hand, with no markings to indicate it might have gone through the mail service.

"This was sitting on the roof of my car this morning," the blonde detective says. "I knew it had to do with Sam because I didn't order anything and it says "To: McGarrett" on it."

After putting on gloves, Steve cuts the tape on the box with his knife before re-pocketing it to open the box. Jaw clenching he pinches the chain to Sam's tag and pulls it out of the box for everyone to see. There's blood on the tag and Steve doesn't need it to be analyzed to know it's his boyfriend's. For a moment, his world zeros in on the tag. He registers the others talking, but he can't translate what they're saying. Anger burns out to absolute fury and he has to put the tag back into the box as his hand begins to tremble.

Danny steps close to take the box back with the bag.

"I'm going to run this to Max and the lab boys," the detective tells his partner. "They might be able to find something on it that will lead us to Sam."

Once again, Steve is reduced to curt nods as he forces air in and out of his lungs to calm himself. His entire jaw hurts with how tightly he has it clenched. His hands fisted again to the point where he reopens the cut on his knuckle.

"We're going to find him," Chin promises, somehow stepping to the brunette's side without him noticing. "Wo Fat needs him alive to get what he wants. This is just a scare tactic to throw you off. Don't let him mess with your head."

Another nod. Another moment where Steve has to clamp down on his emotions so that he can be mentally THERE. He can't break down. He can't give in to what he feels. Sam doesn't need a worried lover, he needs a brave soldier and protector. He needs the Steven McGarrett he met in Afghanistan. Straightening, Steve draws in one last breath to lock his mind in place.

"There was no note," Steve points out. "So, Wo Fat will have to call again in order to set up a meet."

Chin turns his focus to the table computer, explaining as he works, "I'll make sure the computer is constantly checking for the signal of Sam's phone and trace any unknown numbers of incoming calls to your cell or Five-O."

"I'm going to call Sam's team leader to let him know what's going on," Steve tells his teammate as he steps away. He wasn't looking forward to it. He knew who took Sam and why, but he still didn't know where Sam was kept or when he would be able to bring him home.

Greg picks up on the second ring, "Hello? Steve?"

"Yeah, it's me," Steve answers, then forces himself to explain, "Sam's been kidnapped by an enemy of mine named Wo Fat. They're most likely still on the island, but I can't be absolutely sure."

"Have you talked to Sam or his kidnapper?" Greg asks when the brunette pauses.

"The kidnapper, yes," Steve lowers his head. "He told me his demands and I'm going to give it to him. I'm going to bring Sam home."

"Steve," the older man says the name carefully, putting many different emotions into the one syllable. "You mean a lot to Sam, as I know he means a lot to you. Please," he pauses to emphasize the word. "Please be careful. Hostage negotiations are tricky and intricate. The slightest miss-spoken word can bring everything crashing down around you."

"I know," Steve tells the other man. "I've been through this before."

"With the life of someone you love hanging in the balance?" Greg presses gently.

"Yes," the brunette states firmly. Flashes of his father's kidnapping and hearing the gun shot that took his life ring loudly though his head, but he doesn't tell Greg about his past. He can't bear to voice his deepest fears aloud: That he will fail Sam like he did his dad. He decides to put that out of his mind once more as he assures the other man, "I will call you when I have Sam back. You can talk to him yourself."

There's a hesitation over the line, then a low voice that replies, "Be safe, Steve."

Steve hangs up, unable to think of anything else important to say. He also needed to keep his phone clear of calls while he waits for his enemy to call him again. Looking up he sees his mother walking towards him and he finds himself smiling to see her.

Doris goes straight to her son and wraps him up in a hug.

"I am so sorry," she breathes into his cheek, giving it a kiss before pulling away. "This is all my fault. The only reason you know about Wo Fat is because of me. Sam was taken because of your connection to me. I am so sorry, Steven."

"What are you talking about?" Steve asks, confused. "I know you let Wo Fat go, Doris. What is your connection to him? How does he know you?"

"Because I raised him," Doris confesses, eyes shining. "Not his whole life, but for a part of it. While I was pretending to be dead, before the CIA made me abandon him for my own safety."

"What?" Steve nearly snaps. "Why? Why would you choose to raise a stranger's child when you had two of your own back home?"

"Because I killed his mother!" Doris snaps back, her hand moving to cover her mouth when she realizes how loud she was. Wiping at her eyes briefly, she finishes. "I was supposed to kill Wo Fat's father, but I made a mistake. I killed his mother instead. The poor boy was devastated. His father abandoned him, I took away his mother, so I tried to make up for it by raising him myself. Then I was forced to take that away from him too. He probably wants to trade me for Sam so he can kill me."

"I'm not letting him kill you or Sam," Steve promises, putting his hand on his mother's shoulders. "We're going to find Wo Fat, rescue Sam, and put that monster in the ground where he belongs."

"Steven-" Doris's objection is cut off by the shrill ring of her son's phone.

Steve looks to the device, sees that it's an unknown number, and raises it up as he runs over to Chin so the man can track it. With a nod from his teammate, Steve answers the call, "Hello?"

A shout of pain come through to answer. It takes less than a second for Steve to recognize San's voice in the horrible noise. His stomach lurches, threatening to empty, but he holds himself strong as he waits for the noise to stop.

"Apologies," Wo Fat's voice comes over the line next. "I was applying first-aid to Samuel and I think my bed side manner is lacking."

"Steve I'm fine!" Sam's shouts out, then there's a muffled noise and what sounds like tape as the blonde's voice falls silent.

"Thank you, Samuel," the criminal remarks. "That will be quite enough." There are footsteps as he continues, "Now...About my demands."

"You can have me," Steve growls out before his enemy can continue. "Just tell me when and where and we'll make the exchange. Me for Sam. You don't need him. He doesn't know anything. He can't help you get revenge."

"If it was revenge I wanted, then Samuel would be perfect," Wo Fat corrects. "You have my intentions mistaken, McGarrett. I don't want revenge. What I have in mind is more honorable. Now... I will be calling back in one hour-"

"No, wait!" Steve tries to stop the man, but he keeps on talking.

"-if you don't have your mother by then, then Samuel will be injured further."

The line goes dead. Steve looks to Chin hopefully, but the man sadly shakes his head; he was unable to trace the call.

"He is on the island," Chin assures Steve as the man leans against the computer table with both arms and lowers his head. "I'll check in with Kono and the HPD to see if they've found anything in their search through abandoned facilities."

"Thank you," Doris says for her son as she stands beside him. As Chin walks away to make the call, Mrs. McGarrett reaches up to turn her son's head towards her. "Everything will be okay, Steven. When Wo Fat calls back, set up the meet. I'll tell him what he wants to know in exchange for you and Sam to walk away unharmed."

Steve grabs hold of his mother's hand, anger pounding behind his eyeballs as he stares, unfeeling, at the woman who gave him life.

"You knew," he accuses. "You knew that Sam was missing before I even told you. How are you constantly one step ahead, Doris? How can you be sneaking around, gathering intel, when you're supposed to be lying low and playing dead?"

Doris doesn't try to pull away from Steve. She sees the anger, hatred, and anguish in her little boy's eyes and knows she's responsible for putting it there. Guilt tears a new hole in her heart as she accepts the possibility that she will never be able to mend her relationship with her son. That she might die for real, with her own children hating her because they never really knew her at all.

"Any reason or explanation I give will never be enough," she says, knowing every word was true. "The past is behind us, Steven. We need to focus on our next step if we want to get Sam back. Looking over our shoulders will only make us stumble and make a mistake."

"Knowing why something's happening makes it easier to form a solution," her son argues.

"No one can understand the human heart," Doris counters. "What we do in the moment can only be explained in that moment. Please, Steven, don't fight me on this. Just make the meet with Wo Fat and let me do this one right thing for you. Let me help you rescue Sam."

Letting out a breath, Steve lets his mother go and steps away from her.

"If Wo Fat wants the McGarretts," he says darkly. "Then he's going to get the McGarretts, and everyone that comes with them."

Doris's brow furrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I will make that meet and we will go see that monster," her son explains. "Then, when he brings us to Sam, my team is going to come down on him. Before he can realize he's lost, he'll be dead."

"Steven, you can't talk like that," his mother tries to reach out to him but the brunette steps away. "You can't turn this into the very revenge you accused Wo Fat of having. It's not something Sam would want."

"What would you know about what Sam wants?" Steve seethes. "You barely know him and you know me even less. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some calls to make. You-" He points at the woman. "Do not move from this spot, do you understand me?"

Doris nods, her heart too broken to speak. She watches her son stride off, phone lifting to his ear and she turns away after only a few steps to hide her tears.

　

\--- * ---

　

_A few agonizing hours passed before Wo Fat returned. Sam had been mentally reciting Coleridge's poem a few times after running out of things to name in his locker at work. His captor is carrying an unmarked bottle of clear liquid, some gauze pads, and a roll of medical tape._

_"Are you going to patch me up?" Sam asks, voice slightly scratchy due to lack of hydration._

_"I need to take care of those under my care," Wo Fat answers with a tight smile. He uncaps the bottle as he steps closer to the bound man. He rips open a gauze pad with his teeth then roughly wipes at the blonde's scabbing wound. Sam tightens his hold on the chair to keep from flinching from the harsh treatment. The wound begins to bleed openly again as the criminal finishes wiping and he tosses the gauze onto the ground. Pulling out a phone, Wo Fat dials a number as he puts it to his ear. When someone answers the other end, Wo Fat starts to pour the liquid over Sam's wound._

_'Alcohol.' Sam thinks as he cries out at the sudden pain. The earlier 'cleaning' opened the cut even more, giving the alcohol plenty of places to seep into and burn. It feels as though it were trying to eat through the his flesh, and Sam clenches his jaw after the initial shout so that he won't worry Steve any more than he has. Because, of course, that's who Wo Fat must have called. His kidnapper wants his boyfriend to suffer, to think he's worse off than he really is so that he'll get too angry to think straight. So that he'll follow through with his demands without a fight._

_"Apologies," Wo Fat's says, looking directly at Sam. "I was applying first-aid to Samuel and I think my bed side manner is lacking."_

_"Steve I'm fine!" Sam manages to say before the second pack of gauze, still in it's package, is shoved into his mouth, the medical tape going over it to keep it in._

_"Thank you, Samuel," the criminal nods his head. "That will be quite enough." He steps back towards the door, pocketing the rest of the tape. "Now...About my demands."_

　

The door is left open, a mockery to the blonde's powerlessness to escape as Wo Fat keeps walking away from his captive.

Sam pushes the gauze pad between his lips to press against the tape. He keeps pressing, some times folding the package as he presses again. He tucks his lips in as he gets the obstruction out more and more, until the gauze is as far out of his mouth as it will go. He then turns his head towards his shoulder to rub the bottommost part of the tape against it in a downward motion.

It takes several motions, but the tape slowly starts to pull away, taking the pad of gauze with it. A few more rubs and half of the tape completely falls away from Sam's face, leaving the second half of the strip to hang off the other side. Sam jerks his head to the side, sending the tape flying out over his shoulder. A few rubs later, that part falls away as well. The tape sticks to the blonde's shoulder, refusing to budge even as the man shakes it to make it fall the rest of the way.

Sam decides to leave it alone, partially glad it was off the ground in case his captor should decide to shove it back into his mouth.

There's a sound of a cleared throat, and Sam looks up to see Wo Fat looking at him with a slightly surprised expression.

"I was going to remove that," the captor remarks as he steps closer to the blonde. "I only put it in to avoid a shouting match with you, Samuel. It was never permanent."

"How is this supposed to end, Wo Fat?" Sam asks the man as he stops walking to stand in front of him.

"Answers to long sought after questions," Wo Fat answers. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out another gauze pad and the roll of tape from before. He opens the pad and pats it onto the wound, then tapes over it and the chair, to attach it to the blonde's arm. The action unnecessarily adds to Sam's bindings.

"Thank you for that," Sam says as the other man pockets the tape again. His captor smiles at him.

"So polite," Wo Fat compliments. "Is that something they teach in Canadian hostage negotiations?"

"I'm guessing you did a lot of research on me," Sam surmises. "How long have you been planning this?"

"It's funny you should ask that," Wo Fat says, turning as he starts to walk around the blonde. "Originally, I intended to grab Doris McGarrett, but she kept herself hidden from me; just out of my reach." He trails his fingers across Sam's shoulders as he passes him from behind; picking off the tape to toss it onto the floor. "I then realized that it would be easier to go after her son, but I already had him in my clutches once and knew I had to plan carefully to get him again. But fortune smiled on me when you came to Hawaii." He stops in front of the blonde, one hand resting on his shoulder. "Fortune favors the bold and I took the opportunity to have everything I needed. With you, I have Steven McGarrett and with him I have his mother. Soon I will know all I need to and our paths will never need cross again."

"But it doesn't favor the man who insists on hanging on long after he has been proven wrong and advised to change." Looking his captor in the eyes, Sam adds, "Dwelling on the past allows it to define you. Moving on from it is where you find yourself."

"Exactly," Wo Fat nods at him. "It is very important to know who are you. There's a part of me that's missing. I need to find my father so that I can have that missing piece."

"And Doris McGarrett is the only one who knows where your father is?" the blonde asks.

Wo Fat's expression darkens as he pulls his hand away to stand at his full height.

"Doris took much away from me, least of all is the location of my father," he says calmly, far too calmly for Sam's liking.

"Say they come here," Sam starts, hoping it wouldn't happen. "Doris tells you where your father is, then what?"

His captor smiles, "There won't be a point in killing you. Five-O already know what I look like."

"But what about the McGarretts?" the blonde presses. "Making a decision takes a moment, living a decision takes a lifetime. You're free to choose, but you're not free from the consequence of that choice."

"I'm not sure you understand how your words apply more to the people you want to protect than me," Wo Fat counters. "They have chosen to keep my family from me. They've been manipulating my life since I was a child. How can I be the one to blame for the actions I take to right that wrong?"

"Sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you make the decision right," Sam tells him. "Whatever Doris did to you was wrong, but you can't right a wrong with another wrong."

Wo Fat glances at his watch and frowns, turning his eyes back to the blonde. "As incredibly insightful as our talk has been, I must be going, Samuel."

"If you get what you want, there's no reason to resort to any more violence," Sam tries as his captor walks away from him.

Wo Fat keeps on walking and Sam deflates in his chair. He wasn't getting anywhere with the criminal; he was determined to do whatever he has planned. Sam wasn't sure if he was being left unharmed so that he'd be healthy enough to torture in front of Steve later, or if Wo Fat was genuinely going to let him go. Every part of Sam told him he'd most likely get a bullet through the head when this was all over. It wasn't training that suggested it, or something about the man's actions or words, it was an instinct that stuck in the back of his mind like a sick feeling you couldn't shake even after medication.

Still, Sam wasn't afraid for himself. He was far too busy being worried and angry. Worried about what was going to happen next and angry at himself for being unable to get anywhere with his kidnapper or be able to get himself free.

　

\--- * ---

　

Kono returns to Five-O headquarters after hearing about the last call, leaving the HPD officers to continue looking through the island's abandoned buildings. Danny returns from the labs with only the confirmation that the blood on Sam's tag matching the man's blood type and that Wo Fat's fingerprint was found on it. Chin stands at the ready with the computers prepared to track and trace any and all calls coming into Steve's phone, even though it hadn't worked before, and Steve had put his cell down on the table computer after making his calls. Doris remains standing near the others, just hovering close enough to be easily seen without being in the middle of anything.

　

Exactly one hour passes. Steve's phone rings with another unknown number.

"McGarrett," Steve answers curtly.

"I'm going to send you GPS coodinates," Wo Fat says over the line. "You and your mother will go there. Alone. No weapons. No phones. Nothing but the clothes on your backs."

"Will Sam be there?" Steve asks.

"You already know he won't be," his enemy answers.

"I want to talk to him, make sure he's still alive," the brunette demands.

"He's alive and waiting," Wo Fat tells him. "You can believe me, or not. You have one hour to get to the coodinates, or I start getting the answers I need from Samuel."

"He doesn't know anything!" Steve shouts.

"I know," comes the cold response. "One hour, McGarrett. Just you and your mother. Or we start this all over again with a far less sociable attitude."

The line goes dead, the call still too short to trace.

Joe White rushes into the room, two bottles of water in his hands.

"It wasn't easy on such a short notice," the man says as he walks up to Steve. "But I got what you asked for."

"What is it?" Chin asks as his leader immediately opens a bottle and starts drinking.

"An isotope," Joe explains, turning to Chin. "With it inside Steve's body, we can track him. It's not electronic, so unless Wo Fat has the time to have Steve pee in a cup and test it, he won't know he'll be leading us right to Sam."

His bottle finished, Steve hands the second one to his mother.

"I can't," she tells him sadly, stepping away from it.

"Of course," Steve says stiffly. "Why would you want anyone to be able to find you? You're life's all about hiding."

"Steve," Joe starts, but stops at a hand raise form Doris.

"You can be angry at me later," Mrs. McGarrett says. Her son's phone dings with an incoming text and she nods to it. "We need to get going."

"Wait," Chin rushes into an office and returns with a small, circular disk. "He's going to expect some sort of trick from you," he explains. "If he finds this, he'll think he's outsmarted you and won't be suspicious about a counter move."

"Good idea," Steve compliments, hiding the disk under his watch. He looks to his team carefully, not knowing exactly what to say to them.

"Go," Danny says for him. "Follow Fat's instructions. We'll be following you every step of the way."

"And after you've stopped moving for half an hour, we'll come charging in," Joe tells him.

"Guns blazing," Kono adds.

"Thank you," Steve tells them, meaning every part of the simple words. He nods to his mother before leading her out of the building and to his truck.

　

\- - - -

　

As suspected, the coordinates are in the middle of nowhere. It's a break away from a trail in one of the many walkways for tourists and Steve drives as far into it as he can with his truck before it becomes impossible. A few miles away from the location, he and his mother have to get out to walk the rest of the way. Steve leaves everything but the phone, needing it to take him to the right location.

"Steven," Doris says as they close in on the location. "I just want you to know...I'm sorry for everything that happened. I never meant to hurt you."

"Actions speak louder than words," her son counters. "So far the words you do say are either lies, half truths, or have double meanings."

"In the end, I'm still your mother and I love you," Doris finishes, smiling at her son's back. "I needed you to hear it. Just in case."

Steve looks away from the phone to turn on his mother.

"Everything's going to be fine," he tells her as quietly as he can. "You can save your speech for when this is all over."

"Okay," she nods.

　

A few more minutes of walking brings them to an overgrown path that had been recently driven through.

"I thought I said no phones," Wo Fat remarks as he steps out from behind a tree, gun in hand and pointed to the McGarretts.

"How else was I supposed to follow the directions?" Steve points out, dropping the phone onto the ground.

"A misstep on my part," his enemy allows, then shoots the device. "Not that it matters too much as I'm sure you shared the coordinates with your team before coming."

"Where's Sam?" Steve asks him. "Now that you have us, you can let him go."

"In time, but not yet," Wo Fat counters. "First, I think you two need a rest. You look a little tired."

There's a rustle, then two sharp hisses of air. Steve feels a pinch in his arm and the world instantly darkens around him. He doesn't even see his mother fall beside him.

Wo Fat hostlers his weapon as his affiliates come out of hiding to check the McGarretts over; one of them waving a detector over them. They find the tracker, which they hand to their boss, then haul the McGarretts to their feet. Another man backs toward them with a jeep and the prisoners' wrists are zip tied behind their backs before they're tossed into the back of the vehicle. Wo Fat crushes the tracker in his hand and tosses it towards the destroyed phone. He gets into the passenger's side and orders the driver to move on.

　

\- - - -

　

Sam is flexing feeling back into his hands when he hears the shuffling of feet echo down the hallway. Wo Fat never shuffled; he walked with controlled steps that were nearly imperceptible on the cement floor. The shuffling gets louder until there's a back of an unknown man, hunched over as he drags something into the room. Sam knows it's Steve before the brunette is dropped at his feet, completely unconscious. Fear spikes hard in his chest when Doris McGarrett is dragged in next, just as out of it as her son.

As the two unknown men walk out of the room, Wo Fat walks in.

"I gave them a lighter version of what I gave you," the man assures his captive. "They should be coming around soon. Then we can all have a talk about family values."

The two men from before reenter the room with two armless wooden chairs and some rope. They drag both McGarretts into their own chairs, leaving their hands behind their backs, and tie them down at the chest and legs to the chairs. With a nod from their boss, the two men leave without a word.

"Of course," Wo Fat adds as the door creaks behind his men. "There are other ways to wake them sooner."

Sam's heart beats faster as his captor walks over to the wooden crate in the room. The top falls free without much effort, meaning it wasn't nailed down to begin with. Out of the box Wo Fat lifts a black rod with a forked end. Sam's eyes widen as he realizes what it is: a cattle prod.

"You don't have to do that," he tells his captor, almost pleading. "You said yourself, they'll wake up soon. Why don't you try some cold water first?"

Even though adding water to electrocution is bad, if the shock can do the trick it would be significantly less painful.

"Do you think I'm going to use this on them?" Wo Fat asks with an unpleasant smile.

Somehow, the threat makes things easier for Sam. He straightens his shoulders as his captor walks towards him, starting up the prod to make it spark and hiss in his hand.

"If you don't dial that thing down, you'll stop my heart," the blonde says calmly.

"I don't really need you anymore," Wo Fat counters.

"That goes against what you said," Sam pushes back. "Are you so far gone in your own hatred that you'd make yourself a dishonorable man?"

"Casualties of war," Wo Fat states. "I said our paths would not cross again. I have no intention of following you into the afterlife, Samuel."

"You can tell your father that when you finally find him," the blonde says, eyes focused on the man instead of the weapon in his hands. "You tell him how many people you killed, all the lives your destroyed, in order to get to him. See how proud he is when you explain how many were innocent."

Sam knows there's an obvious risk to what he's saying. Wo Fat can turn around and use the rod on Steve or Doris, which is not something he wants. He'd rather the McGarretts wake up and talk with the man. Steve must have a plan in place. Even if his headstrong boyfriend didn't initially think of it, his team would never let him hand himself over without one.

Wo Fat considers the bound blonde for a few moments before replying, "Waste not, want not." He lowers the prod to his side as he glances at his two newest hostages. "I'm going to check with my men." He looks back to Sam. "You have five minutes to wake them up before I do things my way."

Wo Fat returns the cattle prod to the crate before leaving the room. Sam allows himself to let out a breath of relief before turning to his boyfriend and his mother.

"Steve!" he shouts, but it doesn't get him so much as a twitch. Once again, Sam finds himself wishing to have some sort of give to his situation. A loose arm, a wooden, chair, a chair that wasn't stuck fast at least, but he's well and truly pinned. With nothing else to do, he shouts again, "Steven, wake up!"

Still nothing. He turns to Mrs. McGarrett. "Doris! Doris, are you awake?"

Both of them appear to be more interested in their drug-induced dreams than the blonde's voice. It doesn't deter Sam. He keeps shouting at them, even though it makes his dry throat sore. He only pauses to swallow and breathe as he repeats their names, trying to get them to wake.

　

It feels far shorter than five minutes when Wo Fat returns. He looks directly at the still sleeping McGarretts as he closes the door after entering. Face blanking, he retrieves the cattle prod and fiddles with something in the handle.

"Apologies, Samuel," Wo Fat says, feigning the actual meaning of the words. He surprises the blonde when he turns to Steve and shoves the end of the prod into the brunette's chest.

"NO!" Sam cries out as his boyfriend screams into the waking world. Doris startles in her chair as Wo Fat pulls the weapon back and steps away.

"Do I have your attention?" Wo Fat asks, leaning over to look into Steve's alarmed eyes. "Are you awake, McGarrett?"

Steve forces his groggy head to focus on the face of his enemy. When the man's image stops blurring, he looks around to see where he is. He looks eyes with Sam's worried ones and he wants to smile at his boyfriend to assure him that everything would be fine, but he resists in the hope it will keep the focus away from the blonde. He moves on, taking in the rest of the room and his mother tied up beside him before focusing back on his enemy.

"You have us now," Steve pushes out, his jaw partially clenched from the after affects of whatever forced him awake. "Let. Sam. Go."

"Everyone will be released once I have my answers," Wo Fat returns, looking towards Doris. "Are you also with us, Mrs. McGarrett?"

Doris shakes her head slightly as she tests out her bindings. Blinking up at Wo Fat, she visibly slumps further into the seat, her face controlled as she stares at his face.

"You've grown up so much," she says softly. "I can't believe you remember me."

Wo Fat points the cattle prod at the woman, "How can I forget the woman who ruined my life and then pretended to care about me? What sort of black heart do you have that you'd replace a boy's mother, only to toss him into the streets once he no longer interested you?"

"I did abandon you," Doris admits, voice low and filled with regret. "But not for the reasons that you think. I was forced to do it. It was to protect you."

"Protect me," Wo Fat mocks. "From what? Your own family that you had already abandoned? Your government that leaves you on your own to take care of yourself?"

"Yes and no," the woman replies, then smiles sadly. "Nothing I say with be good enough. I made mistakes. So many mistakes. I regret all of them, mostly because I can never make up for them. You don't have to be like me, Wo. You can make the right decisions. You can let Steve and Sam go. They have nothing to do with us. They're only extra weight."

"You are very good," Wo Fat compliments. "Between you and Samuel, I'd almost change my mind about this." He smiles unpleasantly. "Almost."

He pushes the cattle prod into Sam's chest next, making the blonde cry out in pain as he pulls against the ropes holding him.

"Stop it!" Steve shouts, twisting in his own bindings. "Leave him alone!"

Wo Fat pulls the prod away again and Sam's head drops to his chest as he heaves in lost air to collect himself.

"I don't want to waste a lot of time," their captor explains lightly, tapping the prod against one hand as he ignores the glare Steve directs at him. "I have one question and I expect a simple answer to it."

"Then ask it!" Steve barks, pulling on the zip ties around his wrists as he tries to break them. They don't give, so he loosens his muscles to try and twist free.

Wo Fat looks to Doris, "Where is my father?"

"He's dead," she answers.

Wo Fat frowns at her.

"That's a lie," he says, then uses the prod on Sam again.

Sam was just getting over the first shock when a second one hits him. He wishes he could hold back the shout, but it falls from his lips despite his best efforts. His already raw throat burns anew as his head snaps back and his body spasms in reaction to the pain. He can hear Steve shouting at his attacker to stop, but the noise is being drowned out by the buzzing in his ears that matches the crackle of the prod at his chest.

Then the major pain suddenly stops. It sends ripples throughout the blonde's body, making him spasm despite no longer being hit with electricity. Sam feels his head drop as the world tilts in the wrong direction. He blinks once, twice, then his eyes remain closed and his entire world is taken over in darkness.

Steve breaks the zip ties as he shouts at Wo Fat to stop for the fourth time. He leans forwards enough to give himself some more room to throw the corner of his chair into the cement floor, putting his strength into it as well. The chair breaks, just like he wanted, and he scrambles to lift the ropes around his chest up and off of him so he can get to his legs.

Wo Fat stops electrocuting Sam in order to turn the weapon to the brunette on the floor. Doris pushes her chair, bound as she is, into the man approaching her son and knocks him back slightly. Wo Fat turns the prod on the woman, making her scream, before kicking her in the same spot he shocked her. Doris falls backwards and lands on the ground hard; her head grazing the floor as her body bounces from impact.

With his mother's distraction, Steve has one leg free before Wo Fat is after him again. He scrambles to his knees and twists the chair still connected to him in front of himself to keep the prod away from his body. Wo Fat tries to get at him through the chair's slats, but the brunette twists the chair to the side, knocking the thing away. With his weapon on the other side of the room, Wo Fat attempts to attack his prisoner with his fists. Steve lifts the chair up, freeing his second leg as he blocks the first blow. It breaks the chair and Steve takes the bigger part to swipe at his opponent.

Wo Fat steps back to avoid the chair piece, then spin kicks at the brunette, hitting him in the side. Steve recovers enough to put the wood piece between him and the other man as another kick follows the first. With a shout, Steve rushes Wo Fat, shoving the man back until he slams him into the wall. Wo Fat tucks his head in as his back thuds against the surface. Grabbing hold of the wood pinning him down, he twists it and the man holding it to the side to land a side kick.

Steve knees his opponent back, then twists the chair to the side, hitting the other man with his elbow before trying to pull it in the opposite direction for another blow. Wo Fat pushes against the chair piece and rolls along the wall towards the crate. He plucks a gun out of it and points it to Steve, freezing the man in place.

"You should understand better than anyone else how wrong it is for a child to be separated from their father," Wo Fat remarks as he straightens.

"If you wanted sympathy from me, you should've thought about that before you killed my father," Steve bites back.

"Perhaps," his enemy allows with a smirk. "But now we will never know."

Doris stands up from the floor, having broken her own chair to escape while the two men were fighting. She raises her hands as she moves to stand in front of Sam, her eyes focused on the man with the gun.

"You were right," she confesses. "Your father is alive. I can take you to him but we need to go now. The people I work for know I'm talking to you and they might be moving him. If we leave, just you and me, right now, there's a very good chance we can get to him before they can put him somewhere else."

"A mother's desperate attempt to save her one true son?" Wo Fat mocks.

"Look at me," Doris counters. "Look into my eyes. You'll see I'm not lying to you."

Wo Fat turns his eyes to the woman, his gun still pointed at Steve.

"If you kill my son, nothing will get me to tell you where your father is," Doris promises. "I'll take my own life first and you'll have no where else to look. You'll still be alone, with no answers as to what really happened that day."

"The day you killed my mother? Or the day you abandoned me?" Wo Fat questions.

"Both," Doris answers simply.

Their enemy turns his focus back to Steve.

"Stand behind Samuel," he orders, motioning in the direction with his gun. Slowly, the brunette follows the order, his piece of chair lowering to his side. Wo Fat motions with his free hand to Doris, "Come closer."

Doris walks towards Wo Fat as the man reaches backwards to open the door.

"If you move, I'll shoot," Wo Fat threatens, pointing the weapon at Sam as he steps away to let Doris through the doorway first.

Steve drops the piece of chair to put a hand on Sam's shoulders. He slides his fingers upwards to the blonde's neck to check for a pulse and finally allows himself to breathe when he catches the steady rhythm.

Wo Fat waits until Doris is completely out of the room before following, closing the door with a loud bang as he exits. Something screeches across the door, letting the captives inside know they were trapped.

Steve waits three seconds before he rounds the chair to get at Sam's front. He quickly unties the blonde's wrists and ankles, fingers slipping over the intricate knots in his hurry to undo them. He skips over the chest piece to recheck his boyfriend's pulse. It's still steady and strong enough to feel, so he resumes freeing the blonde as quickly as possibly. In another few hurried moments, Steve has Sam completely free of the ropes and starts to pulls his boyfriend up and out of the chair. One of the blonde's arms catches and Steve gently puts his boyfriend back down to see what he missed. There's a bandage with blood seeping through it and he curses when he realizes it's where Wo Fat had cut Sam in order to get the blood on the tag he sent back. Steve carefully unwraps the tape from around the chair and takes a few seconds to look the wound over. It's not as bad as his imagination had envisioned, which he is grateful for. He wraps the tape back around Sam's arm to keep the bandage on, then pulls his boyfriend off the chair to lay him down on the ground to make him more comfortable. Steve checks Sam's pulse one more time before going to the door to test it out. It's locked, just like he thought, so he steps back to look it over for a weakness.

The screeching that locked them in returns, removing whatever was placed to trap them. Steve slides Sam's unconscious body out of the line of sight before grabbing the cattle prod. He stands in front of his boyfriend protectively as he watches the door open.

"Steve?" Danny's voice calls out worriedly. "Are you in here, buddy?"

The brunette nearly falls apart at his partner's voice but he still holds onto the cattle prod as he leans partly around the doorway. Danny points his assault rifle at him, then immediately drop it with a curse.

"I nearly blew your head off, do you realize that?" the detective scolds. He reaches up to a radio on his shoulder to say, "I found Steve." Turning back to the brunette he asks, "Where's Sam?"

"Back here," Steve answers, tossing away the torture weapon as he returns to his boyfriend's side. He brushes his fingers through the Sam's hair as he calls his name out softly, trying to rouse him.

"I've got Sam too," Danny tells the others over the radio. "We're going to need an ambulance."

Kono arrives in the room next and she wastes no time crouching beside Sam.

"What happened to him?" she asks Steve in a gentle tone.

"He was hit with that," Steve jerks his head towards the instrument of evil across the room. "Twice," he adds with a grimace. "He passed out the second time and hasn't woken back up yet."

"It could be from dehydration on top of everything else," Danny supplies. "How's his pulse?"

Kono, who had already put her fingers to the blonde's neck, answers, "Good. I think Danny's right. Wo Fat had him for almost twenty-four hours. He might be passed out from exhaustion."

"Wo Fat- My mother!" Steve's head snaps up to Danny. "He took her. Did you see them?"

"We got them, don't worry," his partner assures him. "Joe and Chin are keeping a close watch on the super villain while your mother keeps a gun on his minions."

"Come on," Kono prods, shifting her gun strap so she can use both of her arms. "Let's get you and Sam out of here."

"I've got him," Steve says, reaching down. He slings one of Sam's arms around his neck as he slides an arm behind his shoulders, then he scoops up the blonde's legs to lift him up bridal style. Sam's head rolls to the side, his nose brushing against the brunette's sore chest.

"You know that's the most taxing hold on the human body, right?" Danny comments as he steps out of the way for his partner to leave the room.

Steve doesn't comment as he continues to carry his boyfriend out towards freedom. The outside sun nearly blinds him and he has to blink a few times to get used to it. He hadn't realized how dark the room was until he was no longer in it. He looks over to two jeeps sitting by a barely worn road. One of them has four men bound and tied in the back, their heads bowed in submission and most of them sporting some sort of bleeding wound. The other jeep has Wo Fat in the back, hog tied and bleeding from the leg and arm. Steve congratulates himself for not smiling smugly at the man as he walks towards Chin, Joe, and his mother who were standing beside the vehicles.

"We've got to get Sam to a hospital," he says seriously.

"There's another jeep a few yards up the road," Joe tells him, glancing worriedly at the man in the brunette's arms. "The local police are already on their way. Chin, Kono, and I can wait for them here while you Danny and your mother go to the hospital."

Chin nods his agreement, adding, "We've got this, Steve."

"Thank you," the brunette tells them, wishing he could have better words for what he was feeling.

"Okay, Super SEAL," Danny nudges his partner with a hand to the man's elbow. "Let's get you to the vehicle before your arms fall off. Superhuman or not, Sam's got to be getting heavy."

"He's not heavy," Steve assures him, even though he can feel the strain all over his body. His legs are like led weights with every step, the very air coming in and out of his lungs burning, but he doesn't care. He knows his boyfriend is worse off and he won't allow anyone else to carry the man he loves as long as he is able to do it himself.

　

Doris follows her group to their jeep, staying close to her son like Danny in case he should show signs of falling over. Steve never does.

　

The brunette has enough strength to lift Sam up into the vehicle to sit in the back with him. He holds his boyfriend in his lap, still supporting him with his body and trying to stop the jostling as best he can as Danny drives out of the forest to the main road. His partner forgoes calling for an ambulance, choosing instead to drive directly to the hospital himself.

 

 

\- - - - - - - - - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writer Notes:  
> * I didn't re-watch Steve's reaction to seeing his not-dead mother.  
> * Part of Sam's dialogue with Wo Fat is stolen from the internet.  
> * Wo Fat was originally supposed to die, but somehow got to live in the end... Huh...Strange how that happens.


	3. Repairing the Heart

Danny parks at the hospital's emergency entrance, unstrapping his large weapon as he gets out of the vehicle, then barges in front of his partner to flash his badge and gain the attention of two chattering female nurses. The women instantly jump into their job, one rushing to bring back a bed as the other asks about the patient's condition.

Steve robotically explains everything he knows that happened to Sam, only letting the blonde go when the bed is pressed against his front and under the man.

"We're going to take good care of him," one of the nurses assures the men as another steps up to help the second wheel Sam away. She smiles tightly as she raises both hands to keep the brunette back. "I'll make sure someone comes back to get you once he's settled."

"Sam," Steve repeats the name as he tears his eyes away from his boyfriend as he's turned around a corner to look at the woman in front of him. "Samuel Braddock. B-R-A-D-D-O-C-K."

"Yes, sir," the nurse nods. "We've got it from here."

Danny grabs ahold of his partner's arm to pull him away before he can try to strong arm passed the nurse.

"How about you?" the detective asks quietly. "Did you get hurt? Are there burns or cuts under those clothes that need to be checked out?"

"Nah, no, I'm fine," Steve shakes his head to the questions. His entire body feels hurt and sore, but it definitely wasn't worth getting checked out over. His partner doesn't look like he believes him, but he keeps his disbelief to himself.

"I've got to move the jeep and take the gear to headquarters," Danny says instead of arguing, holding a hand over the handgun strapped to his leg. "Can I trust you to remain calm while I'm gone?"

"Yeah, hey," Steve looks to his partner. "Where did you get the jeeps?"

"Joe pulled everything together," the detective tells him. "Listen, I gotta move. The nurses are beginning to look at me funny. You," he ushers the taller man into an empty chair. "Sit here. I'm going to send your mother in when I go."

Steve nods, his head turning back towards the direction Sam was taken. He doesn't notice the frown on his partner's face or when the man leaves. 

Danny rushes outside and smiles in relief when Mrs. McGarrett is still in the jeep where he left her.

"Is Sam going to be okay?" Doris asks as the detective approaches.

"Probably, but I'm going to need you to stay with your son while I take the jeep and the deadly equipment somewhere more secure," Danny answers, helping the woman out of the vehicle with a hand to steady her.

"I don't think Steven wants me there," Doris says with a nervous glance over her shoulder. 

"Take it from a professional on Steven McGarrett," the detective says as he gestures to himself. "Whatever he says is not necessarily what he means. I know there's a lot of bad blood right now, but Steve is going to need all the support he can get. I also need someone to watch him so he doesn't tear that hospital apart while I'm gone."

Pursing her lips together, Doris nods to the detective before turning and walking into the hospital.

Doris finds Steve sitting in a chair alone, his leg bouncing nonstop as he wrings his hands together and stares intently down a hallway. Taking a breath to steady her nerves, she approaches her son and sits in the chair beside him. 

Steve doesn't turn towards his mother. His focus is where Sam was taken, willing the nurses to return with good news or a doctor to tell him everything was going to be fine.

The seconds tick on like hours. Doris tries to distract herself by looking around the hospital, but her focus always returns to her son. She eventually gives in and puts a hand on his back, inwardly hoping the gesture won't be brushed off. 

Steve stiffens at the hand on his back, the worried loop in his mind stopping as he turns towards the owner. His mother smiles at him tightly, her fingers curling on his back as she nearly pulls the hand away. He sees fear in her eyes and it tears down what's left of his walls. Suddenly, everything she did that he was angry at her about falls from his mind as he turns towards her.

Doris leans forwards slightly, arms extended in a silent offer. Steve leans into her arms, accepting the comfort as he wraps his arms around her. 

There are no words exchanged between the two. There's nothing to be said. 

 

\- - - -

 

Sam wakes to new surroundings. He stiffens at first, worried that Wo Fat had moved him somewhere else and wondering what happened to Steve and his mother, then he recognizes the hospital smell and feels an IV in his hand and he relaxes into the bed he is lying on. He opens his eyes, his vision swimming for a second as he looks around until it focuses on a woman in scrubs standing beside his bed, writing on a clipboard.

"Hey," he tries to speak and grimaces as it aggravates his hurt throat. 

It still catches the nurse's attention and she puts the clipboard down in order to look him over. After confirming whatever she checked for, she moves to a side table and gets him a cup of water. Tilting the blonde's head up, the nurse helps him take a few sips of the room temperature liquid before lowering his head again.

"How's your pain?" she asks, putting the cup back. "Are you feeling anything unusual? Numbness? Is your vision okay?"

Sam gestures a 'so-so' for the pain and shakes his head 'no' for the rest of the questions, not wanting a repeat of the pain in his throat. The nurse takes the silent answers without a problem as she fills out a few more things on the clipboard from before.

"Someone has been very adamant about seeing you when you wake up," the woman says with a smile. "I'm going to go get him. Okay?"

Her patient nods and the nurse leaves.

While she's gone, Sam takes the opportunity to do a self-inventory. His cut arm is bandaged properly but he doesn't feel much pain from it. His wrists are bruised, a collection of several colors already, but they too aren't so bad. The worst part of the discomfort is in his chest, which feels tight. He puts the IV free hand to it and realizes it's wrapped up in bandages as well. He guesses there must be burns underneath and hopes that Steve isn't any worse off wherever he is. 

Steve arrives in the room as if conjured, eyes wide as they dart around until they zero in on the man in the bed.

"Sam," the brunette breathes the name, shoulders lowering as he runs forward to take the blonde by the hand. "Are you okay? How are you feeling? Are you in a lot of pain?"

Sam shakes his head to get his boyfriend to stop talking, moving his free hand to cover the other man's. He swallows before whispering, "I'm fine."

It doesn't lessen the brunette's worried expression. If anything, it makes Steve's brow furrow even more.

"You don't sound fine," Steve remarks. "Do you want anything? Water? Tea? Soup?"

Sam lifts his top hand to point to the cup the nurse used earlier. Steve follows the pointed finger and rushes to the cup and pitcher he finds to pour a full cup to bring back to the blonde. He holds the cup with one hand and supports Sam's neck up with the other. 

Sam takes a few long sips, then pulls away from the cup.

"Is that enough?" Steve asks, waiting for a nod before returning the cup. He looks around the room and grabs a chair he finds in the corner to the side of his boyfriend's bed. After settling into it, the brunette takes back the blonde's hand in his own as he looks him over. He doesn't like what he sees and it shows all over his face.

"What happened?" Sam whispers, needing to know. He was worried about Doris. Had Wo Fat taken her? Was she dead? Was Wo Fat dead?

Steve's grip on his boyfriend's hand tightens as he looks down at the bruises at his lover's wrist. It was his fault that Sam was hurt. His fight. His battle. His and his mother's and his boyfriend got stuck in the middle of it. 

Sam shakes the hand, trying to snap the other man out of his trance. Steve looks up, eyes wet, and he has so much he wants to say but the words are stuck fast in his throat. 

A soft knock at the door brings both men's attention to the woman standing in the threshold. Doris offers the two a small smile as she steps into the room.

"Hello, Sam," Doris greets the blonde. "I just stepped in to tell you that I'm fine. Steven is fine, as you can see. His team captured Wo Fat and his men and are taking him to jail where he belongs."

"Thank you," Sam whispers, wincing at the end as it dries out his throat. Doris brings him the cup again and Steve takes it to help the blonde drink.

The doctor steps in as the cup is removed again. He glances at the two occupants in the room with his patient before looking down at the file in his hands.

"Are you by any chance, Steven McGarrett?" the doctor asks, lifting his eyes to look at Steve. 

"Yes, I am," the brunette confirms.

"As Mr. Braddock's listed next of kin, you're more than welcome to remain in the room and remove any others you don't want present," he remarks with a glance to Doris.

"She's fine," Steve says before his mother can move. "She's my mother."

"Very well," the doctor nods, turning his attention to the file briefly before looking towards Sam. "Mr. Braddock, when you were brought in you were dehydrated. There are some second degree burns on your chest; bruising in several places, primarily the ankles and wrists; as well as a cut to your arm that was on it's way towards infection. Your throat was also inflamed, so I wouldn't recommend talking for a few hours if possible. We've administered some antibiotics for the infection, fluids for the dehydration, treated the burns on your chest, and given you a non-addictive pain reliever. That said, are you having any discomfort? Do you feel light-headed? Seeing double? Any stabbing pain?"

Sam shakes his head slowly so as not to become a liar by getting light-headed with the action. The doctor nods, taking some notes on the file, then he looks to Steve.

"As long and terrible as that list sounded, Mr. Braddock is not that badly off. We're going to keep him overnight in the hospital to make sure that there are no other adverse reactions to the electrocution. Afterwards, I'd still highly recommend he take it easy for a few days. Nothing strenuous physically or mentally."

"Thank you, doctor," Steve says. "I'll keep an eye on him myself to make sure."

The doctor nods, sparing the group a friendly smile before leaving the room.

Steve turns back to his boyfriend as the blonde looks to him.

"Looks like you're staying in Hawaii for a few more days," the brunette jokes lightly. 

Sam snorts, the action irritating his throat and making him wince. Steve moves to get the cup again, but the blonde gestures for him to stay.

Doris steps around her son and closer to the bed, placing a hand on the bottom rail as she looks down at the injured man.

"I'm sorry this happened, Sam," she says softly. "This is all my fault. The main reason I kept myself hidden was because I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

Sam shakes his head and reaches out to the woman. Doris walks around the bed so it's easier on the blonde as she takes his hand. Sam looks to his boyfriend.

"Never regret," he whispers to him, then smiles as he looks back to his boyfriend's mother. "Family."

Doris pats the hand in hers as she smiles down at Sam. She looks over to her son for his reaction and is surprised to see him smiling at her.

"What's done is done," Steve says quietly. "I'm through living in the past. Welcome home, Mom."

 

\- - - -

 

Danny returns to the hospital almost two hours after he left. He finds Steve sitting beside Sam in a private hospital room. He smiles when he sees the blonde awake and relatively okay; just unable to talk.

"I will be doing all the translations," Steve announces after covering his boyfriend's mouth when he starts to greet the other blonde.

"Steve, the Canadians speak fluent English," Danny chides lightly. He pulls the only other chair in the room to the other side of Sam's bed for Mrs. McGarrett who takes it with a grateful smile. "Not that I want to ruin this wonderful, family moment but is it okay for you to be hanging around here? In the open?"

"I'm not the one to worry about," Doris brushes off the detective's concern. "Sam's well-being is what's most important. I'll be fine."

"Okay, I'm going to trust you, because being a McGarrett means you will be very difficult to persuade," Danny says with an exaggerated shrug. "I will, however, need a statement from the both of you about what happened. Though, I understand if you need to make it wait until later."

"I'll give mine now," Steve volunteers. "Sam can give his in the morning, if his throat is better."

"I won't...be giving one..." Doris remarks nervously. "I'm still, technically, dead."

"No problem," Danny assures the woman. "Why did I even bother asking?"

\- - - -

Steve finishes telling his part of the events as the rest of Five-O team and Joe White enter the hospital room.

"Wo Fat is locked away," Joe assures everyone after their initial greetings, making his way to stand beside Doris.

"And this time, he isn't getting away," Chin adds, taking his place beside Danny.

Kono stands behind Steve as she asks, "I'm sure you've been asked this a hundred times, but how are you guys feeling?"

"Sam isn't allowed to talk," Steve informs everyone. "But he's going to make a full recovery."

Sam rolls his eyes as he opens his mouth to say something. His boyfriend's hand covers it to stop him and he lets out a tired breath as he relaxes more into the hospital pillows.

"How about you two?" Kono looks to the McGarretts. "Were you checked out as well?"

"I'm barely bruised," Doris comments at the same time her son says, "I'm fine."

"Okay," Kono remarks with raised eyebrows to the other members of Five-O.

As the room quiets, Chin asks, "Has anyone called Sam's team yet?" 

Steve curses as he pats himself down for a phone he knows he doesn't have. 

"I have to call Greg," he says, looking to his partner for help.

"I do not have this Greg person's number, but you may use my phone if you have it memorized," Danny says, handing the device over.

Sam reaches up to take it and wastes no time typing in the number before handing it to his boyfriend.

"Thanks," Steve smiles, putting the phone to his ear, one hand still holding the blonde's.

"Hello, this is Officer Parker speaking," Greg answers, voice sounding tired and strained.

"Hey, Greg, it's me, Steve," the brunette replies. "I'm using my partner's phone to call you. We've got Sam. He's fine but he literally can't talk right now. I'll have to push my promise to another day."

Steve wholeheartedly agrees with the breath of relief he hears over the line.

"You already fulfilled your promise, Steve," Greg says. "You got Sam back. Have him call me when he's feeling better, okay? I know the others will want to hear the good news, so I'm going to call them right now."

"Okay, will do," Steve replies, then hangs up and offers the phone back to Danny.

"Naturally, you'll be paying for my international calls bill," his partner remarks as he takes the device back.

"There's always a catch with you," the brunette shakes his head at the other man, the comment making a few of the others smile.

\- - - -

Slowly, but surely, the room empties out. Steve shakes Joe's hand before he leaves with Doris; the woman planting a kiss on her son's forehead before going. Kono and Chin go next, wanting to get as much of the paperwork taken care of before it got much later; each of them getting a hug in lieu of a hand shake. Danny is the last to leave, lingering at the end of Sam's bed as the cousins walk out of the room.

"As a rule, hospital food is crappy," Danny says to the other blonde, then turns to his partner. "You better know sign language or have a pen and paper to communicate. Unless the two of you can mind meld."

Sam smirks as he looks to his boyfriend. He uses military signs to motion for an immediate evacuation, to which Steve gives him a firm denial.

"There's nothing wrong with your own voice, partner," Danny says the title like an insult. "I don't know why I'm stalling, worried about the two of you. You'll be fine, so I'm leaving."

Steve grabs his partner's hand as he passes, pulling the other man in for a tight hug.

"Take care of each other," Danny orders with a point of his finger as he walks out of the room.

A nurse walks in to check on the patient, smiling politely and asking some routine questions before walking back out of the room.

Steve pulls his chair right up to Sam's bed, turning it so that he can lean half his body onto the mattress as he retakes his boyfriend's hand in a new hold.

Sam smiles at the brunette. His eyes become heavy as his body begins to feel as if it was sinking. 

"Are you seriously trying to stay awake for me?" Steve smiles. He brushes the back of his fingers across his boyfriend's cheek. "Sleep, Sam. I'll be right here when you wake again."

The blonde mouths 'Love You' before allowing his eyes to close all the way.

Steve leans forward, getting halfway out of his seat to reach up and kiss Sam on the forehead.

"I love you," he whispers into the other man's skin. He eases himself back into his chair, eyes always on the man he loves.

When the nurse returns to check on her patient again, she finds the man asleep, his visitor slumped at his side, their hands still held tightly together. Taking pity on the couple, she checks the blonde over as carefully and quiet. Neither man rouses from sleep and the nurse closes the door behind her when she goes.

\--- - ---

Steve wakes to hushed laughter and snickers from somewhere nearby. He groans as he moves, his chest still aching and his neck sore as he lifts his head up from the soft surface he had it on. He rubs a hand over his face, the other one still wrapped in Sam's, as he looks towards the noise.

Spike looks up from his phone to wave at him, Jules hanging off the techie's shoulder with a wide smile. A cleared throat moves the two to the side, allowing Ed and Wordy to walk passed them and into the room.

"Where's Greg?" Steve croaks, then immediately clears his sticky throat.

"Over here," Greg answers from the other side of Sam's bed. He smiles apologetically to the brunette as he jerks his head towards him. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to be dramatic. I was only taking a seat while we waited you to wake up."

"We as in-?" Steve doesn't bother to finish his question as he realizes Sam is awake and smiling at him. "Hey, you. Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"M'fine," Sam says, voice still a whisper but without any visible signs of discomfort.

"Is it okay for you to be talking?" his boyfriend questions. "How's your throat?"

"Steve," the blonde chuckles, voice still soft. "I'm fine. Honestly."

"We've been talking for a few minutes," Greg tells the brunette. "Your partner, Detective Williams, was a great help directing us here. He even brought a soup for Sam. You must have been pretty tired to sleep through all of that, Steve."

"Maybe the nurses slipped something to me," Steve grumbles, rubbing at his neck.

"Or we walked on eggshells and Sam hasn't even touched the soup yet because Williams just left it a second ago," Jules supplies, having stepped into the room with Spike while Boss was talking. 

Ed steps closer to the window to open the blinds halfway to let in the rising sun.

"What time is it?" Steve asks, looking to anyone who would answer him.

"Almost six in the morning," Wordy answers. "It's warmer here than I thought it would be."

"Yeah," Ed agrees with a nod. "Sam told us the air itself could feel warm at times, but we thought he was being dramatic."

"Still not as bad as Afghanistan," Sam remarks.

"Weather wise, there are very few places that are I'd imagine," Spike comments.

"Okay, shift change," Jules states, pulling Steve up with arms under his armpits. 

The brunette nearly falls flat on his back, his hand falling away from his boyfriend's as his arms flail to keep his balance. His left leg is completely asleep and he winces at the 'pins and needles' feeling as the blood flow returns full force.

"You going to be okay there, Commander?" Jules asks with a raised brow.

"Why are you yanking me out of my chair?" Steve asks, rubbing at his leg with both hands as he glares up at her. "I'm not leaving Sam."

"We'll watch over Samtastic," Spike assures the man. "You need to go home and freshen up."

"No," Steve answers as he straightens. "I'm fine where I am."

"A good soldier knows when to take a break," Greg says with a friendly smile. "I understand the desire to remain at Sam's side, but you need to take care of yourself as well. We'll stay here until you get back."

"I appreciate the offer guys, really, but I'm fine," Steve assures them.

"He thought you'd say that," Wordy comments.

"Who?" Steve wonders, confused.

"Me, you child," Danny scolds from the doorway. The detective steps up to his partner and takes him by the arm. "You, my friend, need a shower and a change. I could smell you from the entrance. Why subject others to that?"

"Danny, wait- Danny!"

Sam laughs at his boyfriend's flustered face as he fights against his partner. He bends over as he begins to cough, a hand moving to his neck as it irritates his almost healed throat. He smiles as the coughing subsides, looking to his worried boyfriend as he stares at him.

"Go," Sam tells him. "I'll be right here when you get back."

"I'm taking you out of here when I get back," Steve promises.

"Okay," the blonde returns, still smiling.

Steve gets loose of Danny's hold to dart back to his Sam's bed to give him a chaste kiss on the lips. His boyfriend waves at him as he pulls back and away, allowing Danny to drag him out of the room.

 

The SRU team turn to their teammate, crowding around his bed as they look to him.

"I think he's a keeper," Jules smiles, sitting on the side of Sam's bed; the blonde moves over to give her enough room to actually sit all the way. 

"Sorry we couldn't be here for the rescue," Greg says quietly.

"I'm glad you're here now," Sam tells them. He looks to Spike, "You think you can hand me the soup?"

"Yeah, of course," Spike nods, moving to get the foam container.

"What's the story with this Wo Fat guy?" Ed asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Murdering manipulator," Sam answers simply, taking the soup from Spike with an appreciative smile. Jules reaches up to open the top for her teammate without being asked, turning the smile her way. 

"Do they have good prisons here in Hawaii?" Greg asks next, looking more towards his phone than his teammate. "Are you or Steve at risk of him coming after you again?"

"Like our job, you never really know," Sam admits, watching Jules open his spoon from its plastic prison. "Thanks, sis," he winks at her, taking the plastic utensil when she offers it to him. 

"If that soup wasn't so hot, I'd get you for that," the woman returns lightly.

Stirring the soup, Sam turns back to his boss.

"Steve is going to do everything in his power to keep Wo Fat locked up for good," he assures the man. "I'm not worried."

"I've checked out the state pen, Boss," Spike speaks up. "With some tweaks to their security, it could be a formidable place."

"I think we're falling away from what's important guys," Wordy remarks, looking at Sam as the blonde starts to sip at his soup. "Sam is safe, the bad guy is caught, everything is good."

"Wordy's right," Ed agrees, patting the man on the shoulder.

"If we're switching up subjects," Jules smiles. "What are the chances Steve is willing to offer his place to us for a day or two?"

"How long are you guys staying?" Sam asks, spoon mid-way to his mouth.

"Now, Sam, that makes it sound like you don't want us to be here," Greg frowns.

"Fine," the blonde rolls his eyes. "How long CAN you guys stay?"

"We called in a family emergency," Ed explains.

"Our team building exercise suggestion was also taken into consideration," Spike adds.

"I think Teams Two and Three can handle things back home for a little while," Greg finishes for his team.

"Why didn't you ask Steve to stay at his place while he was here?" Sam wonders, putting the spoon back into the container. "He headed home, he could've had things straightened up for you before returning?"

"Worry wart warrior?" Spike remarks sarcastically. 

"I doubt adding a guest list to his mounting worries over you at that particular moment would have gone over well," Jules says with a teasing grin.

"We'll figure something out," Greg shrugs. "No biggie."

"But it will show badly on his home review," Wordy comments.

Sam chooses to ignore his teammates to finish his soup. It tasted good but even better, it soothed his throat. He'd have to ask Danny later what it was and where he got it.

\- - - -

Steve returns less than an hour later. He smiles brightly when he sees Sam again, striding into the room to stand at his boyfriend's side as Jules hurriedly vacates the spot.

"How are you feeling?" the brunette asks, looking the man over as if he'd obtain some sort of new injury while he was away.

"Better than when you left me," Sam says, voice slightly stronger. "Where's Danny? Did you drive off without him? Please tell me you didn't steal his car."

"I did not steal Danny's car, he's running around doing his own thing," Steve answers, looking away to the blonde's team. "Do you guys have a rental van or something? How did you get here?"

"Wordy is our designated driver," Ed says, patting the man on the shoulder. "He's the only one who managed to get his paperwork filed on time."

"Lazy bones," Wordy insults his team.

"Have you spoken to the doctors?" Greg asks Steve. "When are they discharging Sam?"

"Yeah, I spoke to them on the way in and the doc's going to check Sam over so he can be discharged," the brunette answers with a breath of relief at the end.

"I hope it's nothing invasive," Spike comments with a frown.

The doctor from the day before enters the room and looks the crowd over with raised eyebrows.

"There are too many people in this room," he comments but doesn't order anyone out. Instead, he goes to his patient to check his eyes, pulse, and heart. After looking over the machines, he looks directly at the blonde. "How are you feeling?"

"Good enough to go," Sam answers.

"Any light-headedness?" the doctor adds. "Double or blurred vision?"

"No, sir," his patient answers.

"Intense pain?"

"No, sir."

"Any discomfort anywhere? I can have them leave if you need to tell me in private."

"I'm fine, doctor," Sam assures the man with a smile.

"You're heartbeat has been fairly regular," the doctor nods, glancing at the monitors. "Very well," he sighs. "Mr. McGarrett, if you'll come with me, you can sign Mr. Braddock's release forms while a nurse comes in to help him disconnect from the machines."

"Thank you, doctor," Steve smiles, following the man out of the room. 

A nurse comes in and pauses for only a second at all the people standing around in the room.

"You have a lot of friends, Mr. Braddock," the nurse compliments, turning off the machines before taking off the leads that led to the man connected to them.

"Yeah," the blonde smiles at his team. "They're my family."

\- - - -

The SRU team follows Steve's truck in their SUV rental. The brunette offered to take one or two of them to help with the seating but they politely turn him down.

Sam relaxes in the passenger's seat, wearing a change of clothes Steve had brought him and nearly forgot in the back of his truck.

As soon as Steve pulls out of the hospital parking lot, he reaches over to take Sam's hand.

"The hand does belong to me," the blonde jokes. "Maybe you should take a picture of it on your phone so you have something to hold after I leave."

"Any chance I can convince you to stay in Hawaii forever instead?" his boyfriend jokes back, but his smile is a little forced.

"What happened to me isn't your fault," Sam says, turning more in his seat to look more directly at the other man. "You know that, right?"

"Logically? Yeah," Steve sighs. "Emotionally? Mentally? I-" he shrugs, unable to properly word it.

"We can't be held accountable for other people's decisions," Sam tells him firmly. "Wo Fat took me, he is to blame for my injuries."

"He took you because of me," Steve argues. "Because of who my mother is. Because of what she did."

"You can't be blamed for being born, for being someone's son," Sam argues back, straining his tender throat. "Yes, Doris made a mistake, but that didn't give Wo Fat permission to enact pain on others. Nothing another person does gives anyone else permission to hurt someone else. People pay for their mistakes, one way or another."

"My mother is paying," the brunette says, voice weakening. "She's paying with the guilt from the fallout. I'm paying part of it for her and it's bleeding over to you."

"Remember what I said before?" Sam asks, his grip tightening on his boyfriend's hand. "I will love you forever and I will never regret it. That means all of you, including everything and everyone that comes with you."

Steve blinks away the tears in his eyes. Every time he thinks he has himself under control, something twists in his chest, breaking him down all over again.

"You have my whole heart," the brunette confesses again, glancing over to his boyfriend. "I don't want to imagine my life without you."

"Then don't," the blonde smiles at him. "We'll move passed this, together." The smile widens as Sam chuckles, "No one can keep 'the super couple' down."

Steve huffs a few laughs, body relaxing as reality finally set it. He had Sam. Sam was safe. He hadn't lost him. 

At a red light, Steve turns to his boyfriend.

"I love you, Sam," he says sincerely.

Sam kisses the brunette's scabbed over knuckle.

"I love you, Steve."

\- - - -

There are several vehicles already parked in Steve's driveway when the man gets there with the Canadians following behind. The brunette jumps out of his truck to direct Wordy where to park before rounding his vehicle to help his boyfriend out.

"I'm not that badly hurt," Sam remarks, pushing the offered hands away.

"I know that," his boyfriend counters. "I'm just pampering you."

"Save your energy for your sudden slew of house guests," the blonde grins, jerking a thumb behind his shoulder where his teammates where heading towards them.

Ed lets out an appreciative whistle as he looks the place over.

"You have a lovely house," Greg says more politely, stepping up to the couple. "Is it okay if we follow you in?"

"You came this far," Steve jokes with a shrug. "It would be rude to kick you to the curb now."

"Funny," Ed remarks, taking up the back of the group as they head to the front door.

Steve pauses at the front door to turn to Sam.

"Welcome home," he says softly, opening the door.

Kono and Catherine pop party poppers as Max and Kamekona blow party horns near the doorway. Further into the house, Danny stands beside Doris underneath a crooked "Welcome Home" sign.

Sam ducks his head as Steve guides him through the smiling faces to stand in the center of it, the brunette's arm remaining across the blonde's shoulders even as they stop moving.

The Five-O team step away from the door to give the SRU team more room to enter. Kono stays by the door to close it after everyone has entered the house.

"What on earth, guys?" Sam asks, his eyes looking around as he tries to take everything in.

"Wait, we're not done yet," Chin calls out, entering the room with a candled cake. Sam starts laughing when he sees the cake is pineapple shaped.

"It's like a birthday party," Spike remarks happily.

"Who are you guys?" Kamekona asks, looking to the Canadians. "You look familiar. Are you party crashers?"

"These guys are my unit," Sam explains proudly. As he gives out introductions, each member of his team lifts a hand and offers a curt nod.

"Okay, candles before the house burns down," Danny orders, motioning to the melting objects as Chin continues to hold the cake in front of Sam.

"Oh, sorry," Sam ducks his head slightly, taking a half step forwards to blow them all out in two breaths.

Everyone cheers and Danny waves away the smoke as Chin takes the cake to the kitchen island.

"There are sandwiches and snacks as well," the blonde detective announces to the group. "Kamekona also brought some concoctions that you will eat at your own risk."

"Hey!" the large man huffs. "My food is good!"

"Your garlic shrimp is good," Danny admits. "The rest is questionable on a good day."

Steve kisses the side of Sam's head before letting him go to step over to his mother.

"Where's Joe?" he asks quietly.

"He's making sure things are wrapped up tight," Doris answers just as quietly. "He'll be by later, if it's not too late."

Glancing over to Sam as he's wrapped up in hug after hug, Steve remembers his boyfriend's words and turns to his mother.

"I meant what I said before," he tells her, looking her in the eyes as she turns to him curiously. "I'm through living on past regrets and mistakes. I want to move forward in my life...and I want you to be in it."

Doris can barely believe her ears as she smiles up at her son.

"Thank you, Steve," she says softly. "I love you so much."

Steve pulls his mother into a hug, closing his eyes as he rests his head on her shoulders. "I love you too, mom."

"What do you weigh?" Spike's voice asks, bringing the rest of the partygoers attention to the young man as he stares at Kamekona.

"A few hundred pounds," the large man answer, looking the other over. "You could stand to gain a few yourself. You're nothing but bones!"

The room fills with laughter and Steve opens all of his back doors to bring in fresh air and make more room for everyone.

Max finds his way to Sam at the same time as the Commander.

"Even though it is not the exact same object, I hope you will accept this gift in honor of your recovery," Max says, handing over a small mesh bag to Sam.

"Thank you, Dr. Bergman," Sam says, taking the offering and opening it. His eyes widen when he pulls out a chain with a dog tag attached to it, the names "Braddock-McGarrett" inscribed into it.

"How did you manage to get that so quickly?" Steve asks, looking to his teammate.

"I had a mold made of the original and took it to a metal worker who filled it for me," Max answers. 

"In a day?" Sam asks incredulously as he slides the chain over his head so the tag rests on his chest. "That's amazing, Dr. Bergman. You have no idea what this means to me."

"Please," the man smiles. "Call me, Max. You are, after all, part of the Five-O family so I feel as though we should share the familiarity of our first names."

"Is it okay if I hug you?" the blonde asks, even as he lifts his arms to do so.

"A hug would be most appropriate and appreciated," Max answers, accepting the hug with a few light pats to the other man's back before pulling away. "A speedy recovery and well wishes to you, Sam."

"Thank you, Max," Sam replies, reaching up to run his fingers over his new tag. 

As the two teams continue to mingle Steve pulls Sam outside for a little privacy.

"You can't hide me from our families," the blonde jokes as he's dragged behind a tree and out of eye shot. "This is what it's going to be like for our wedding reception."

"Yeah, but then when that happens, it won't be weird for me to do this." Steve cups either side of his boyfriend's face and pulls him in for a kiss. 

Sam leans against the tree for support as he opens his mouth to deepen the kiss, his hands resting on the brunette's hips.

Pulling away, Steve asks, "Any chance we could come up with a reason for the SRU to leave the house for a few hours?"

"The doctor said nothing strenuous for a few days," his lover reminds him.

"I'll be gentle," the brunette grins.

"Superhumans, you out here?" Danny's voice shouts out. "We're going to eat now!"

"Yeah, Sam, stop hiding from your own party!" Jules adds.

Steve groans in protest as he drops his head to his chest.

"Come on," Sam prods him, pushing off from the tree. "We can come back to this later."

"How much later?" his lover asks, leaning in to whisper the question in the other's ear.

"A few days later," the blonde answers, taking the brunette's hand to lead him back to the house.

"There you are," Jules says, hand on her hips as she grins at the two. "Do I want to know? No wait, I think I already do."

"Please stop before I lose my appetite," Danny remarks, mirroring the woman's stance.

"Wanna make me, Yank?" Jules challenges, lifting her chin to the man.

"Unlike my caveman partner, I have manners, so no, I will gladly hand over the victory to you." the detective bows slightly to the woman. "And then I will gladly walk away before I can be shouted at by said caveman."

"You really should lighten up on these negative nicknames, Danny," Steve calls after the man.

"I'll consider it," his partner starts, then adds, "The day after I see you smiling in Jersey!"

Steve laughs at his partner's antics as he holds onto Sam's hand. His heavy heart lightens with all the loved ones around him, especially the one standing beside him... Sam feels the exact same way.

 

\--- - --- -- --- - ---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This middle and ending were frustratingly difficult to finish.   
> At one point, I was writing a scene when another (an alteration to it) presented itself for consideration. Instead of scrapping what I had already written, I ignored the thought and moved on.

**Author's Note:**

> *I am legally inclined to state I own nothing.*


End file.
